Kokuhaku
by aldkhfa142
Summary: Even the gods make mistakes... And even heroes fall. Chapter 27 & Epilogue up.
1. Discovery and Defeat

Hi!

Ah, so sue me, I started a new story ^^ I've been working on this for a little while. It started with a simple idea, but quickly got muuuch more complicated. Sometimes I think my creativity is plotting against me… LOL Well, here you go, Kokuhaku! 

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Kokuhaku

Chapter 1- Discovery and Defeat

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"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt."   
-_William Shakespeare_

It was time.

          As Goku felt his shoes tap against the parched earth, felt the wind tear at his gi, he didn't think what he had imagined he would. 

          He was walking towards death…

          He could feel everyone's eyes glancing questioningly towards him, but the Saiyan was certain of his decision. 

          What else _could he do? Instant transmission was the only way…._

          Cell would destroy everything!

          As he approached his demise once more- ironic, he had figured that he'd be used to it by now- he felt his mind had not settled on the monster before him, but on memories. 

          Memories of… Gohan. 

          Ah, yes, he distinctly recalled this conversation.

_          The sun was setting, its fiery light giving a final burst of radiance in protest before the inky night enveloped its outcries._

_          Goku and his 3-year-old son were perched within a looming pine tree, having just retreated from a fishing session. _

Right, Goku recalled, he had just told Gohan of his adventures with Emperor Pilaf. 

_          The 3-year-old allowed his golden-brown tail to hang from the scaled branch as he watched the dying sun slowly relinquish its hold on the day. Raising his naturally soft voice over the gentle stirring of the wind, he questioned, "Have you ever saw Emperor Piwaf since?" _

_          The grown man chuckled at his son's tendency to say l's as w's; it was a common trait for the young child. Answering Gohan's question, he replied, "Nope. Not a peep!" _

_          Gohan pondered this for a moment, before commenting, "He sounds funny. But scawy, too."_

_          Goku laughed again- r's sometimes fell prey as well. "Why be scared, Gohan? There isn't anything to be afraid of." _

_          "I want to be strong like you, Daddy!" Gohan reassured quickly, before his tone became more sullen. "But I don't want to fight people- I don't want to hurt anyone." _

_          "Oh…" Goku replied in surprise. Think up a response, he quickly added, "Well Gohan, sometimes you have to fight to help people. But I can tell you one thing…" _

_          Gohan glanced up curiously. "What?" _

_          "_I'd_ never make you hurt anyone_."  __

          Foot colliding with a stone, Goku felt his heart wrench as he recalled the young demi-Saiyan's beaming face. Glancing at the present Gohan, covered in dirt and blood, Goku almost grimaced- what a liar he was. He hadn't made Gohan hurt- he'd told him to _kill_…

          But that was why he had to make this decision. Speaking of which, he had reached his decision. Grimacing slightly, he ignored the bloated android's questioning voice as he placed two fingers to his forehead in the familiar form. 

          He had broken his promise- this was, in a way, pay back. 

          But he was abandoning Gohan...

_No turning back now…_

Gohan raised his eyes questioningly as he saw his father walk by. What…?

Oh, no. Not that. Anything but that… 

He realized, with pure terror, what Goku was going to do. The tall Saiyan was saying something- Gohan could see his mouth moving- but he turned a deaf ear. 

No… Not because of his _mistake_… 

He wouldn't…

But he would, a sinister voice inside his head responded. He would, and will, and it's _all your__ fault. _

But he promised! He promised that we'd beat him, and then we'd all come home!

_Together. Come home __together!_

He was going to do it… He was going to save everyone- and leave again. 

Again?

The word brought back a flicker of conversations, a dim picture painted with emotions and words. 

_"Where's my daddy!?" Young, inexperienced, 4-year-old Gohan- terrified and cold._

_          Piccolo's grating voice replied gruffly, "He's gone, kid." _

_          Piccolo- Piccolo had gone. In the battle with the Saiyans. _

_          Suddenly the emotions flipped, to an older Gohan- and a different Goku. He was a Super Saiyan… _

_          "Gohan, go!" Goku barked angrily. _

_          Gohan was surprised. He had never actually seen his father angry… _

_          Deciding it was time to listen, he obeyed…_

_          And had no clue as to whether his father was dead or alive for a whole year. _

          Always, Goku disappeared. 

          Gohan felt tears prick at his eyes as he felt his father's ki rise, preparing for the final sacrifice… 

          To his great surprise, a sound escaped from his mouth, a low, inaudible whisper- "_No_." 

          _No… Don't disappear, again… Please! _

          His body seemed to be moving on its own accord, barreling forward, feet digging into the terrain as Goku turned away… Cell began to disappear, as would the Saiyan… 

          Goku gave a surprised yelp as something collided with him, just as he felt his body beginning to shift away- Cell vanished in a blink. 

          Wait- wasn't he supposed to go with him!?

          Glancing down in surprise, his eyes met ebony ones, _surprised _ebony ones.    

          "Gohan…? What just happened?" 

          The sound of footsteps approaching signified that Goku was, indeed, still on Earth. 

          But Cell was… gone? 

          "Oh no!" Goku cried, sitting up with a jerk which sent Gohan onto his hindquarters. 

          "Where'd… Cell go?" Gohan asked quietly, just as shell-shocked as his father. 

          Piccolo, Krillin, and Yamcha arrived beside them, blinking in surprise. "Goku… How…?" 

          "I was about to I.T…. But…" Goku blanked, glancing at his son. "Gohan pushed me, and then Cell disappeared." 

          "Wait, wait. Just because Gohan pushed you, Cell kept on going but you stayed…?" 

          Goku shrugged in reply. 

          A sudden thought struck, and the full-blooded Saiyan paled. "Uh-oh…" 

          "What?" 

          "King Kai won't be happy with me next time I see him…" 

          Before Krillin could question further, a familiar voice broke through the air. "You bet your butt, Son Goku! Now since when do you blow up your tutors!?" 

          Sweatdropping, the warrior shouted, "Sorry! That's the only place I could think of!" 

          A loud snort was heard. 

          "King Kai! What just happened?" Krillin called hurriedly, in case the Kai broke the link. 

          "Huh- Well… Um… Goku, what were you just thinking about?" 

          Goku blinked before admitting, "Gohan, actually." 

          "And Gohan?" 

          "Well- I was thinking about Dad." Gohan was just as confused as his father.

          King Kai was quiet for a moment, before he finally stated, "Well my guess is, since Goku didn't wish to go, his spirit alone pushed Cell along but allowed him to stay. Besides, Gohan pulled him away from the I.T., and the inertia might have kept Cell moving." 

          "Good idea." Goku replied simply, shrugging. 

          "Hmph. Now I've got to go find a new planet." The Kai growled before the link snapped.  

          "Well, I doubt I'll have very pleasant welcoming in heaven next time." Goku murmured, rising from the ground. 

          Piccolo stared down at his student vindictively. "Gohan, that was a stupid move! What if Cell had stayed? Where would we all be then, huh!?" 

          Goku placed a hand on the Namek's shoulder, his own attempt to pacify him. "Don't be so harsh, Piccolo! Gohan didn't do any harm! I wouldn't be here if he hadn'tve done that!" 

          "Hn." The Namek snorted, turning away. 

          "Ah, Gohan, if you hadn't done it I would've." Krillin grinned, offering a hand to the downed demi-Saiyan. 

          Accepting, Gohan shakily rose to his feet. "I guess it was kind of stupid… But…" 

          "Like I said- don't worry about it." Goku replied, jokingly punching his son on the shoulder. "And guess what! Cell's gone now! So, I guess we won after all?" 

          "Guess so… Sorry, Dad…" Gohan cast his eyes to the ground. "I'm the reason you had to make that choice in the first place…" 

          "Nonsense. It could've been anyone of us out there. Considering the circumstances, you did better than I could've ever imagined." Goku reassured. 

          The small group arrived at the small rock bluff that the previous fierce battles had taken place on. Vegeta, Trunks, and Tien had remained there, and nodded respectively at father and son. 

          Goku approached the 17-year-old Trunks, giving a slight grin. "I guess the past is changed, isn't it?" 

          "Goku- you really did it." The teenager smiled quietly in return. 

          Gohan, standing off to the side, was contemplating about dropping his ascended form. He wasn't sure- what if…

          A sudden ki flickered… Gohan growled, rising to his feet.  

          A thin slice of light tore through the dust, piercing Trunks's chest- the ki went straight through, managing to sear through Goku's arm as well. 

          Both warriors gave a surprised cry, causing all of the Z fighters to twist around in surprise. 

          Trunks collapsed as Goku gripped his arm, the sudden blow causing him to fall to his knees. 

          "Dad!" Gohan cried, racing forward. 

          Vegeta remained still, face twisted in shock. "Trunks…" 

          "Well? Who did I hit?" 

          Everyone's blood seemed to run cold at the voice, Gohan glancing up from his father to the being. 

          Cell was back to his perfect form- no, stronger. 

          He was stronger than Gohan. 

          "How is that possible!? You don't have 18 anymore!" Krillin shouted angrily, glaring at the android. 

          "Now- Now, I realize my true meaning. With my newly acquired IT, I can destroy every planet in the universe!" Cell lowed, violet eyes gleaming with ire. 

          Gohan rose to fight his foe, but was beaten to the punch-literally-as Vegeta leapt into Super Saiyan, pushing through the air and slamming a fist into Cell's face. 

          The android didn't budge. Instead, he shoved the Super Saiyan aside, sending Vegeta crashing through a rock-face.

          Leaping into the air with speed rivaling Gohan's, Cell gave a viscous grin as he quickly prepared a ki blast capable of destroying the Saiyan Prince for good. 

          "You killed Trunks…" Gohan murmured, and with a sudden burst of energy slammed through the air towards the Saiyan. 

          Would he make it…?

          _Could_ he make it!? 

          The demi-Saiyan ignored the pain searing through his body as Cell's deadly attack collided with him- as long as Vegeta was alright… No one else could die…

          Vegeta blearily cleared the blinding light from his eyes, surprised to find someone overtop of him- protecting him…

          "Gohan…?" 

          The demi-Saiyan didn't reply, standing shakily. 

          That attack had taken down his power….

          Oh great, Gohan lamented, he couldn't move his arm. _That _was always fun. 

          Krillin carefully helped Goku to his feet, the Saiyan wearily clutching his injured arm- it still chose to bleed profusely. 

          "Is Gohan alright?" He immediately asked as he reached the edge of the rock-face. 

          Yamcha was fighting back the urge to race in, but knew it was futile to fight the super-android. He shakily responded, "I don't think he can move his arm…" 

          Goku gave a half-smile, half-grimace. "That makes two of us." 

          The group of warriors turned, intent on observing Earth's largest-possibly last-battle…

          "Vegeta- Get out of here!" Gohan snapped, unharmed hand unconsciously gripping his immobile one. 

          The Saiyan Prince was slightly surprised at the feral tone in the once placid boy's voice- deciding to obey for once, he shakily stood, trying to regain his askew senses. 

          Cell's gloating face soon appeared through the acrid smoke, causing Gohan's face to get all the more somber. 

          "Well, Gohan, I think I finally have inspiration for the finale to this battle," The android grinned venomously, "and it shall be _glorious_." 

          The android carefully slid into a fighting position, heels digging into the battle-scarred dust. Gohan's eyes widened as Cell's hands fell into the familiar position…

          Goku mirrored his son's expression, muttering grimly, "He's going to use a kamehameha- with that last blow…" 

          "That's not fair!" Krillin blurted, "He only has one arm!" 

          "One arm is better than none…" Yamcha growled. "And one arm's all we've got…" 

          "Ironic." Piccolo murmured. "Mirai Trunks mentioned that the Gohan in his timeline only had one arm, as well- and he lost. Let's hope our Gohan doesn't go the same way, huh?" 

          Goku ignored the nervous chatter around him, charcoal eyes leveled on his son. Gohan looked uncertain, shocked… frightened. The warriors around him jumped as he suddenly called, "King Kai!" 

          "What? I'm not deaf, no need to shout." 

          "King Kai- I need to talk to Gohan. I can't shout to him from here." 

          "Sure- but you owe me, Son Goku." 

          "Yea, I know. I'll pay you back somehow, 'k?" 

          "Yea, right…" 

          Gohan tried desperately to swallow the uneasiness collecting in his heart._ I've already failed… It's hopeless…_

          Cell's dark features soon interrupted his insecure thoughts. "Well, Gohan, aren't you going to meet up to my challenge? Your hidden powers were entertaining, my boy…" 

          _Hopeless…_ We're always hopeless, aren't we?__

          _That doesn't mean I should give up… No, I won't!  _Gohan quickly shoved his hand forward, gathering all the ki he could muster. Ki was so stupid… Never there when it was _needed…_

          "Yes, I certainly had a good fight." Cell's smirk increased as, with an exaggerated yell, he threw his hands forward, shouting, "_But not good enough!_" 

          "Gohan!" The Z fighters all cried out as one, eyes fixated on the spot. It was impossible, he'd _die…_

Gohan desperately to combat the enormous energy, focusing his thoughts on Trunks- his father's near-death…

          _Dad said we'd all come home together. We're going to come home _together!

          An enormous sphere of energy, incomprehensible in size, rose into the sky as the two powers collided. But Gohan's arm fell back ever so slightly… The pressure on his knees grew as his shoes dug into the terrain… He was falling back…!

          "Gohan!" Goku's voice suddenly called, within Gohan's mind. 

Surprised, Gohan lost his shock and cried desperately, "Dad! I'm falling back- I can't…!" 

"Gohan- any power you're holding back… Let it go! If you're afraid of damaging the Earth, _don't be_! We can wish it all back- But if Cell destroys you, he'll only keep going… Give it your all, Gohan! _Don't_ _hold anything back!" _

"Dad… But…"

"He'll kill _all_ of us, Gohan- just do it! Finish this _here_ and _now_!" 

Realization seemed to strike into Gohan's soul, an icy dagger slicing through his fear. It was time…

Piccolo was frustrated, as his usual link with Gohan was severed. Perhaps it was because of the battle… 

The Namek's eyes widened slightly as a small voice finally broke through the barrier. A small smirk crossed his lips- it was Gohan's voice alright. 

But what was said confused him. All he heard was a meek ((We've got to let it all go…))

The voice that replied was foreign to Piccolo. It was Gohan, yet… not… It was slightly darker, and yet familiar- the voice that had been emitted from Gohan's throat when he had beaten down Cell ruthlessly. ((We're going to finish this now, Juujen. It's gone far enough.)) 

((We've never pushed it this far, ever. What if we can't handle it?))

((You aren't willing to die for them?))

((Yes, I-))

((Then give me your power. If you can't handle it, then _I_ will.)) 

The link was severed, the blockade replaced, and the confused Namekian gave up on breaking through. Opening his eyes to the visual battle, he quickly sought out Gohan's face. 

A fresh determination had struck across it, persistence gleaming in his sky blue eyes. A renewed dance of lightning glimmered across the demi-Saiyan's skin, a fresh wave of power rolling across his half of the ki orb. It was _not the Gohan Piccolo knew…_

Cell's eyes widened as the newly-restored warrior strode forward against the ki blast, feet tapping a steady rhythm against the rocky soil. 

"Way to go, Gohan! Keep going!" Krillin cheered, restraining himself only to prevent Goku from toppling over. 

Piccolo's ebony eyes gleamed brightly with curiosity. What was that Gohan that he had listened to- that seemed to be in control now?

But no matter, he growled, Gohan needed all the support possible at the moment. 

Goku was first to notice a disturbing fact, however. "Cell's not falling back…" 

All eyes were drawn to the android, and the Saiyan's words rang true. Although he had been forced back a few inches from initial surprise, he hadn't fallen back since. In fact, he was almost pushing Gohan back. 

((Gohan, it's not enough…!)) Piccolo quickly sent, fear clutching his chest. 

The foreign voice snarled back, ((You think I don't know that!?))

((Kid- Isn't there some more power you can put into it…?))

Instead of the strange Gohan, the original Gohan responded, ((We don't have any left!))

Piccolo growled, pulling away from the link. 

          Goku watched the battle feverishly, face slightly pale as he gripped his arm tightly. The flow of crimson blood had finally stalled, although a thin trickle still escaped- that which had already escaped laced down his arm and dripped into a small maroon puddle. Krillin glanced up occasionally with worry, but was more preoccupied by the life-and-death struggle they were witnessing. 

          The tall Namekian finally came to quips with himself. 

          Gohan would die, if this went on unaided. He had to help…!

          "Piccolo, what..!?" Krillin cried as Piccolo flung himself past, ivory cape flapping idly to the ground. Vegeta, having taken a despondent sentinel on a hill above them, glanced up in slight disdain. 

          Goku smiled bitterly, muttering, "Well, at least one of us is risking it." 

          Krillin glanced up in horror as the Saiyan pulled away, taking off after his comrade. "Goku! You can't! Your arm…!" 

          "Idiots." Vegeta murmured, but his mind wrenched as practicality and courage battled within.

          Yamcha, Tien, and Krillin watched on morosely as Goku and Piccolo continued on, nearing the destructive android. 

***(A/N: This is when Gohan is talking to himself as his two forms, Juujen and Okiri. That's explained later, btw ^^)

          ((Dad, Piccolo! What're they doing!?)) Emotions of fear and apprehension, expressed by the 'human half' of Gohan, impressed slightly upon its counterpart. 

            Okiri, the 'foreign Gohan', was in complete control of Gohan's body; he felt their jaw ache as teeth clenched amazingly hard, muscles so tense within his arm that he could barely feel it anymore. ((Juujen, I can't handle this alone anymore…! If you don't-))

            ((I can't hurt anyone!)) Juujen interjected bitterly, defiant and foolish at the same time. 

            The demi-Saiyan growled morosely, muttering, ((Idiot.)) Sweat ran slick down their forehead. 

***

          Cell glanced back as he felt the two ki approach, violet eyes narrowing. "Don't interfere!" He shouted, sending a wave of power crashing into the duo. They tumbled backwards, creating large dents in the Earth's crust. 

          The Z warriors remaining on the hill snarled as their comrades were swatted aside like flies. Courage rising with their rage, Tien and Yamcha leapt forward, powering up attacks on the way. Krillin stood for a moment uncertainly. 

          Tossing a glance at the android and demi-Saiyan left upon the ground, he quietly whispered, "Sorry guys, to put you through this. Now it's time to end it. Even if I'm not the one to live through it…" 

          Shaking off this final thought, he leapt into the air, soon leveling off with Tien and Yamcha- they fired their attacks simultaneously, earning a roar of anger from Cell. Yet again, the android let out a burst of energy, fending off the assailants.

          Cell finally turned back to the matter at hand, giving himself an extra boost. He gave a satisfied smirk as the fatal onslaught shifted another inch closer to the 11-year-old boy. 

          His smirk faded, however, as a gruff voice called "Ma-sen-ko-ha!" The voice was followed by an equally loud "Ka-me-ha-me-ha!"

          Cell grunted in slight discomfort as the two attacks collided with his back. Eyes narrowing once more, he debated ending his grand finale and destroying the pesky Earthlings once and for all. 

          Deciding against it, he pushed the pair back once again.

***

          ((Dad!)) Juujen cried, staring in horror.  

            ((You don't get it, do you!? They're willing to sacrifice their lives to help us, and your stubborn idiocy ass is preventing us from winning!)) Okiri snapped, afraid to take any concentration off the life-or-death struggle before him.

            Juujen felt out his  

            ((Well? Are you going to stand there and look stupid? You're supposed to be the intelligent one.)) The demi-Saiyan muttered irritably. 

            As if in reply, a blinding light enveloped the two, two frames of mind forming into one. 

            The renewed Gohan narrowed his eyes in concentration. ((This ends here.))

***

          Vegeta watched in horror as the demi-Saiyan began to fall back.  Just as quickly, however, a renewed energy seemed to fill Gohan, as he suddenly pushed against the attack.  

          "Gaki- are you going to win this battle- _can you win this battle?" _

~*~

          "Leave this to us, Goku." Yamcha smiled half-heartedly, clambering to his feet. 

          The Saiyan glanced up in surprise, quickly shaking his head. "Gohan needs all of our help." 

          "Goku, Gohan needs our help, but all you're doing is killing yourself. No offense." Krillin grinned, patting the Saiyan on the shoulder. 

          "Gohan…" Goku glanced at the monstrous ki orb growing above them, fear growing in him for the first time. "What have I thrown you into?" 

          Filled with emotions, the Saiyan tossed a fist into the dirt, frustration barely vented. 

          Piccolo, thrown back by the most recent defensive by Cell, rose shakily to his feet. His muscles ached like no tomorrow, pain his one and only feeling. Fatigue, anger, hatred… He felt like he could collapse any moment, just lie in the dirt and die. 

          "This isn't all about me… No, this has nothing to do with me- this is about Gohan…" Piccolo squinted against the dust rising from the wind. "I promised him… that I wouldn't ever let anything happen to him- the boy who showed me what a true friend was…" 

          Goku rose beside the Namekian, murmuring as well, "…I promised that I'd never make him fight, but I forgot, and now I've broken that promise. But I also promised… that everyone would come home together…" 

          "…He saved my butt all the time on Namek, even with that first bout with Vegeta, and I owe him a lot…" Krillin picked up the chant. 

          The lone line of Z warriors struggled to place each step, bodies weak and weary. Yamcha was next to pick up the mantra. "…Goku was always there to help us, and now we've got to be there to help his son…" 

          "...he's shown all the power of his father, and we can't just let him die…" Tien added, last in line. 

          To the warrior's surprise, another voice picked it up. Vegeta. "…I always called the brat a half-breed… Now I've seen that he's more Saiyan than even I. Saiyans are not power, they are courage, Trunks and Gohan proved that… and now only we can protect Gohan, for Trunks…" 

          "..For my first friend…"

          "...For my promise…" 

          "…For my debt…"

          "…For Goku…" 

          "…For Gohan…" 

          The small ki blasts which had been forming within the Z warriors palms tripled, all of their heart and soul pouring into their final offensive as they rose into the air, crying in unison, "**_For Earth!_**" 

          Cell's ear perked at the cry, and he twisted around as a rush of ki slammed into his back, causing pain to surge through him. But the attack wasn't his final-fatal-mistake… It was turning away. 

          Gohan heard the heart-wrenching cry, and a surge of anger and power shifted into his hands, forcing itself against Cell's ki. 

          The android realized his mistake too late, as his energy was enveloped in his adversary's. Eyes growing wide, he roared in shock and anger as his body was torn apart- cell by cell…

          The fallen Z warriors finally managed to clamber to their feet, to see the brilliant white attack before them dissipating steadily. Peering through the blinding light, they could make out Gohan's form, arm still raised in the single-handed Kamehameha that had ended it all. As they watched, his arm slowly fell to his side as he collapsed into the crater far below. 

~Finis Chapter 1~

            Well? I thought it was okay, considering it was meant to be a one-shot. By the way, here are some translations for ya (from Japanese):

Kokuhaku- Black and white, right and wrong

Okiri-came from Okibi, which means "blazing fire"

Juujen- means "gentleness" 

Gaki- brat, but I think you already knew that

            I'll explain Okiri and Juujen next chapter- or rather, Gohan'll explain. I hope you liked it- I'll try to update it regularly, as well as Serendipity. Review, please! 


	2. Death in Light

Welcome to Chapter 2 of Kokuhaku! Yes, I will finally stop stalling! Sorry it took so long, but for some reason Fanfiction.net wasn't working for me- I couldn't upload any documents. Hopefully the wait wasn't that horrendous o.O 

Okay, here's Kokuhaku, chapter 2! But first, a recap of chapter 1: 

_((You don't get it, do you!? They're willing to sacrifice their lives to help us, and your stubborn ass is preventing us from winning!)) Okiri snapped, sweat pouring down his face._

_Juujen__ stared at his counterpart for a minute, the internal battle visible on the demi-human's face. _

_The renewed Gohan narrowed his eyes in concentration. ((This ends here.)) _

_Gohan heard the heart-wrenching cry, and a surge of anger and power shifted into his hands, forcing itself against Cell's ki. _

_The android realized his mistake too late, as his energy was enveloped in his adversary's. Eyes growing wide, he roared in shock and anger as his body was torn apart- cell by cell…_

_As they watched, his arm slowly fell to his side as he collapsed into the crater far below. _

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Kokuhaku: Chapter 2

Death in Light

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**"What we have done for ourselves dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." **

**~_Albert Pike_**

The troop carefully skimmed the crater's bowl, trying not to fall flat on their faces (Krillin, however, didn't succeed and ended up the first to reach Gohan as he slammed into the dirt about 4 feet away). Yamcha was second to arrive, and he gingerly lifted the battered demi-Saiyan. 

            Gohan's chest slowly rose and fell as he murmured, "For Earth, huh?" 

            The surrounding men laughed, beaming down upon the small boy. Gohan shifted slightly in Yamcha's arms, adding, "I'm so… tired…" 

            "I think we all are." Goku grinned, a strange clash with the dirt and blood that covered his face. "Guess it's time for a visit to Dende, huh?" 

            "Mmm…" Gohan nodded, although it came across as a weak movement of the head since he was too tired to do more. Soon, he was apparently asleep. 

            The assembled warriors lifted into the air, in no rush to get there- not like they had the energy to rush, anyhow. 

            Goku glanced over at his son, commenting, "Guess that fight really did wear him out. Ah- let him sleep. We'll be at Dende's soon, anyhow." 

            "Your son's growing soft already, Kakkarot." Vegeta growled, arms crossed even in flight. 

            The younger Saiyan grinned at his elder playfully. "You're one to talk. Gohan's stronger than both of us, now." 

            "We'll see how long that lasts." The Saiyan Prince snapped, twisting in mid-flight and blasting off in the opposite direction. 

            "Where's he goin'?" Krillin inquired, finally catching up with the group- 18's body was a lot heavier than it looked. Tien flanked the shorter human, holding Trunks's limp form. 

            Yamcha shrugged. "I don't think anyone knows how that guy thinks." 

            Settled in Yamcha's arms, Gohan was considering whether he should let himself fall completely asleep or not. Sure, he looked asleep, since he had heard his father comment about it, but he was much too on-guard to fall asleep. His mind, however, was beginning to shut down. Fatigue seemed to be getting to him. 

            Okiri and Juujen, Gohan's 'alter-egos', had remained together for the moment, as they always did when he wasn't in a life-threatening situation. 

            He had always been aware of the two sides of his personality, but they never showed themselves until the fight between Goku and Raditz. Alone and scared, his four-year-old self had been torn between fear and anger. One side of him was absolutely terrified, whilst the other was seeking blood for the screams of pain heard outside. And it wasn't Raditz doing the screaming. 

            Honestly, he hadn't a clue how his 'alter-egos' had made up their names. As he was sitting in that pod, he had taken to talking to himself, and suddenly he had two names. "Okiri" was the more blood-thirsty ego, while "Juujen" was the easily scared, kind side. Later, after finding out about his half-alien genetics, he had assumed that Okiri was his more Saiyan-ish side and Juujen was the mostly human side. Eventually, Juujen agreed with Okiri that Raditz _had_ to be stopped, and when they combined Gohan became a whole new person. Honestly, he hadn't a clue what happened after that. All he knew was he woke up in the wilderness with an extremely cranky Piccolo. 

            In his first battle with Nappa, Gohan had frozen on the outside. Krillin and Piccolo had been beaten pretty badly. And Gohan mostly blamed himself- whenever he entered a battle, it seemed Juujen and Okiri manifested themselves and absolutely refused to cooperate. For that, Piccolo was killed. 

            Gohan had never understood these features of his mind. They never showed up until he was in a fight, and then they only complicated things. 

            It was ironic, he was talking about them as if they were invaders. But in actuality, they were _him_, and 'he' was just the combination of the two. Too strange. 

            His random musings were interrupted by the question of sleep once more. Heck, he was too tired to open his eyes anymore. 

            A bemused chuckle interrupted his thoughts as a familiar presence encircled his conscious. ((Don't bother, kid. You did great.))

            Piccolo, who had been tailing his fellow warriors to avoid direct conversation, was slightly concerned by Gohan's reply. The boy's mental voice was weary, barely audible. ((Thanks, Mr. Piccolo. Sorry I…))

            ((Don't even try to say it. You know how much I hate apologies. You did better than I ever imagined, and that is _not_ something to be ashamed of.))

            ((Heh. If you say so…)) The child's voice became silent for a moment, before adding, ((…I'm so tired.))

            ((Just keep resting. We're almost to Dende's. But kid?))

            ((Hn…?)) Was the weak reply.

            ((Keep talking? It's all I ask.))

This earned a shallow laugh. ((Seems _everyone_ is testing my endurance today.))

~*~

            Piccolo felt slightly more at ease as he landed at Kami's lookout. Gohan was still talking (albeit begrudgingly) even though the urge to sleep seemed to be growing. 

            It was understandable. He was just a kid, right?

            That was the part that worried him. Sure, they were used to being exhausted after a fight; Goku couldn't even move after the first bout with Vegeta- or so Gohan had told him after he had been revived. 

            But Goku was a seasoned, full-grown warrior; Gohan was merely a child. Could his body handle what had just occurred?

            _Pah__, the Namekian growled. _If Vegeta was here, he'd smack me upside the head. The boy _is_ half-Saiyan.__

But a final, somber thought at the back of his mind unsettled him more: _He's half-human, too._

            ((Mr. Piccolo, what's wrong?)) Gohan interrupted. The weariness of the demi-Saiyan's voice still concerned him. 

            _Should I tell Dende? Piccolo wondered. _No… Look at me, fretting like that Kami-awful Chi-chi. He'll be _fine__. Besides, Dende's almost done healing 18. Gohan's going to be healed and I'll feel like a fool!_

Recalling Gohan's inquiry, he responded, ((Nothing.))

            No response came. 

            ((Gohan?)) 

            Concerned, Piccolo continuously delved deeper into his student's mind, strengthening their link. Immediately, a ghostly mist of unease seemed to coat his skin, illusions of pain brushing across his senses; he shivered involuntarily at the feelings. 

            Pressing past this apparent side-effect, he silently beckoned the demi-Saiyan, straining to hear a voice that he feared wouldn't come. 

            He nearly jumped as a fearful voice shouted, ((Mr. Piccolo!))

            ((Kid… What's…))

            Gohan interrupted, his tone sounding out of breath. ((I can't… breathe… _Mr. Piccolo!))_

            Unconsciously, Piccolo called aloud for Dende, but before he could give fair reason for his outburst Gohan disappeared. 

            _Disappeared…_

            The phantom pain, the frantic call, the presence of the demi-Saiyan… They were gone. 

            He was gone. 

            Piccolo finally seceded to letting go, opening his eyes. _It was over so fast…_

            Blinking past his shock, cursing himself, he quickly reminded himself that Gohan would be revived very soon. 

            Ironic, even after surviving the actual battle, warriors were falling.

            ~Finis Chapter 2~

            Hmm- I killed Gohan twice in the same day. Geez, I'm mean to my favorite characters! I killed him in Serendipity, too o.O So mean… Oh yes, I have a question for you guys for chapter 3. I'm planning a fight with Gohan and Paikon versus some of Hell's lower characters. Would you like to see the interaction between Paikon and Gohan at the beginning, or would you prefer that I skip to the important parts? Tell me your opinion in a review/e-mail- if no one says anything, I'll just leave it out ^^ Ok, reviewers! 

            It seems 4 of my reviews didn't even show up. So, I'll post them (I got em through e-mail) so you guys can know what I'm talking about. The 3 that were posted won't be repeated, since I'm too lazy ^^ my comments will be in _italics _

            **Sam- _I continue, I continue! Even if it did take 2 weeks o.O_**

**DBZ Chick- _You are a person of few words ^^_ **

            **Simba-rulz**- Wow, that was awesome! Update soon!

            _Thank you! Hehe, you have more words than DBZ Chick at least!_

**Gohan-angle- That was so cool! I really enjoyed it, the best part is when everyone joined and say their part. And Gohan with his split personality. I enjoyed it. Please update ASAP. **

            _I was worried that the split personality thing would confuse people, but I guess you didn't mind, did you? It wasn't updated ASAP, exactly, but it was updated, right? ^^_

**Saiyagal- that was good. I liked it. Creative names and plot, I've never read anything like this. **

            _Thank you. Of course, Okiri and Juujen were Japanese, so it wasn't exactly creative, but oh well ^^ Thanks for the review._

**The Verve- heh… now I'm reviewing this one right after reviewing your other one. Hehehe well all I can say is that you write really good stories and that you have good ideas. **

            _Yay__! I have 2 constant reviewers now! I so happy ^^ Thanks! Hey cool… I'm on your favorite authors list o.O Woow! That's a first! _

**Alex Ultra- _Woah__, I had to think about that review for a moment, but after reading your bio I understand :P Thank you Alex, and Alex Ultra o.O _**

Wow, I got more reviews in 1 chapter of this than 3 chapters of Serendipity o.O Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter- even if I killed off Gohan- and I'll get the next chapter up ASAP! I hope it won't freeze up on me again, though *Crosses fingers*


	3. Neverending Turmoil

Welcome to Chapter 3 of Kokuhaku! Sorry it takes so long for me to update this story, but I don't have as much written for it as I do for Serendipity. I have around 30 (33 exactly ^^) pages of this written (a little under 20 pages posted) and I have 80 (ok, 79 exactly) pages of Serendipity written and around 34 pages posted. See the difference? 

            I will hopefully get around to writing more of this soon o.O 

            Okie dokie, a recap of Chapter 2:

            _Gohan was merely a child. Could his body handle what had just occurred?_

Pah_, the Namekian growled. If Vegeta was here, he'd smack me upside the head. The boy __is half-Saiyan._

            He's half-human, too.

            _Ironic, even after surviving the actual battle, warriors were falling._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 3

Never-ending Turmoil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses—behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."**

**-_Muhammad Ali___**

            Goku jumped as Piccolo's eyes suddenly snapped open, body rigid with some unknown horror. Just as quickly, the Namekian relaxed, a strange sadness filling his eyes. Dende, confused as ever, stared up at his mentor. The elder alien finally spoke in a low whisper, "He's gone." 

            Goku blinked. "What's gone?" 

            Before Piccolo could respond, Yamcha realized something alarming. _Very_ alarming. 

            "Guys…" The ex-bandit glanced hurriedly at Goku, "Gohan's not breathing."

~*~

            "Kid… C'mon, Kid…" 

            Gohan stirred dozily, his limbs feeling like dead weight. Blinking blearily, he finally managed to focus on a face… A pale blue, round, whiskered face…

            Well that woke him up. Sitting up with a jerk, he poorly judged the distance between him and the being, which he immediately regretted as his aching head collided with the mysterious face. 

            "Owch, geez… Nice aiming…" A garbled, almost congested voice muttered. 

            Gohan quickly muttered an apology, clambering to his feet. Finally his brain decided to work with him, and he took in the surroundings. 

            He stood in a large (very large) room, before a large (very, very large) ogre whom he had never seen before. However, since he towered above him and looked quite ominous with his demonic red skin, he decided to bow anyway. 

            Straightening, he glanced about once more. "Uh… Where am I?" 

            "Otherworld." The pale-blue alien he had collided heads with replied, obviously studying him through his tinted glasses. 

            "You're… King Kai, aren't you?" Gohan finally placed the voice, leaning closer to inspect. 

            The Kai was obviously taken aback, since he blinked for a minute before giving a sarcastic clap. "Aren't you the wise one?" 

            "Look, this little pow-wow may be quite entertaining to you, but I have souls to attend to. Can we get a move on?" The giant ogre rumbled, flicking a pen through his fingers with boredom. 

            "Sorry, King Yama. This is Son Gohan, obviously." 

            "Gohan… Gohan… Son of Goku, huh? Well, I guess you've lived up to expectations. Hm… Ok, all done." Apparently satisfied, the King slammed the binder shut and quickly called in the next 'customer'. 

            Still quite confused, Gohan followed the bustling Kai, who seemed to be accompanied by a levitating cricket and an ape. All three toted halos. 

            They arrived upon the edge of an extended road which whirled through the pale yellow clouds, with no end in sight. Gohan gave a low whistle, impressed. 

            "Well, we've gotta go find a new home. I expect you won't be here long." King Kai grumbled irritably, hands on his hips. 

            Gohan grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about the whole Cell thing…" But before the demi-Saiyan could complete his apology, a slightly dorky-looking ogre burst onto the terrace. 

            "King Kai, sir, we need your help!" 

            The Kai did not look the least bit worried. "What with?"

            "In H.F.I.L.- they're acting up like mad, sir, to greet Cell. It's horrendous. Pikkon has come to help cool them down, but the boy who defeated Cell might be of assistance—" 

            "I have a name." Gohan interjected coldly. 

            "Oh, you're the one who… Sorry, sir!" The ogre babbled, bowing. 

            Gohan, surprised by the reaction, blinked, rather than further his reprimanding. 

            "Well, Gohan, why don't you go meet Pikkon and settle things down?" 

            "Uh… Sure…" 

            Receiving no further orders, Gohan wordlessly returned to King Yama's palace. 

            Upon arriving, he immediately noticed that someone else had arrived. He was taller than even Goku, and he wore clothing in some ways similar to Piccolo's. His skin, as well, resembled Piccolo's, since it was the same deep emerald. 

            The warrior glanced down at Gohan as he entered, raising an eyebrow. "May I help you?" 

            The demi-Saiyan bowed respectably, despite his rising frustration. "I was sent to help you?" 

            "_You are the one who defeated Cell?" Pikkon couldn't hold back the doubt in his voice. _

            Before the boy could reply, a familiar voice interrupted. "Gohan! Congratulations!" 

            Spinning around, the 11-year-old gave a grin as he spotted the lavender-haired time-traveler. "Mirai!" 

            "What's up? Do you need help with anything?" Mirai Trunks approached, glancing at Pikkon curiously.

            Gohan shook his head. "No… I've just got to go help with something, and then I'll be back. I think they're making the wishes soon… So I guess I'll meet up with you on Earth?" 

            "Sure. Don't get into too much trouble, your mom would give me an earful." Trunks warned, a look of mock concern crossing his face.  

            Suddenly Pikkon broke into a long stride, heading for the exit. He called over his shoulder, "Come along then, child." 

Gohan put every inch of his patience to work as he followed the tall alien. "I've fought many of the creatures down there. They aren't easy…" 

            "I can handle them, I'm sure. Don't get in my way." Pikkon replied in an indifferent tone. 

            Fuming silently, the young warrior followed his elder's lead as they leapt into the clouds. 

            As the thick moisture cleared, they found themselves floating above a blood-red landscape, suddenly peppered by explosions.

            _No problem, it's just Freeza and Cell I have to worry about, right? I mean, I'm stronger than Dad now, I don't even have to worry about Okiri and Juujen this time, it should be simple… Swallowing his tension, he burst into Super Saiyan and descended after Pikkon. _

            Actually… He didn't need to do a thing. Pikkon seemed to have it handled…

            Suddenly, a fist whistled past his ear, and the demi-Saiyan took an involuntary step back. Glancing up, he faced none other than the pale Freeza. 

            "Well, if it isn't Kakkarot's brat?" 

            Gohan was quite satisfied as Freeza landed with a resounding splash in the large lake which- he suspected- was filled with blood. 

            "That's one down, Pikkon…" 

            Glancing around, he realized both Cell and Freeza's father were out cold, not to mention Freeza's goonies. A few 'infinite losers' lingered, but they were mostly fighting amongst themselves. 

            However, Pikkon was not within sight…

            Confused, Gohan slowly wandered forward, tossing glances here and there. "Pikkon? Where'd you go?" 

~*~

            "Arise, Shenlong!" Dende's voice echoed across the lookout as the newly-appointed guardian ignored the small chatter behind him. 

            Goku stood towards the back, holding his son's form with a look of slight disbelief. "I don't see how this happened." He commented quietly. 

            "I guess he couldn't take the exhaustion." Krillin replied solemnly. He brightened as Shenlong's form shot into the sky, adding, "But no worries! He'll be back real soon!" 

            Shenlong soon granted the first wish, and evidence of this appeared as several hundred human ki flickered into existence, not to mention Trunks's revival. 

            "What is your next wish?" The dragon grumbled, the intensity of his voice alone causing the tiled Lookout to vibrate. 

            Dende cleared his throat, shouting, "We wish Son Gohan back to life!" 

            Shenlong's eyes were illuminated crimson as he considered this wish; after a moment, he finally rumbled, "This cannot be done." 

            The small gathering glanced up, dumbstruck by the dragon's words. Trunks, still slightly out of it, held a hand to his forehead. 

            Goku felt his stomach lurch, surprise etching his face. "But… why?" 

            "Sorry, Goku, but we need to borrow your son for a moment!" King Kai's voice quickly replied- the mere sound of the blue Kai caused Piccolo to flinch. That being…

            "Uh… Well… Shenlong, can you wait?" Goku inquired politely, trying to be civil with the wish-granting creature. 

            The mystical creature gave a low growl and nodded irritably. If it could've, Shenlong would've most likely crossed his small scaled arms and tapped his tail against the Lookout's smooth surface. 

            But he couldn't. So he contented himself by glaring at the petty beings beneath him with utmost distaste. 

            "Um- so, King Kai- what exactly is Gohan doing?" Goku finally asked, the silence disquieting him. 

            "Hm? Oh, well, the demons in Hell decided to have a little uprising to greet Cell. Gohan went down to break it up." 

            This caused Piccolo to raise an eyebrow, his attempts at indifference failing. "Kai- all of our old enemies are down there. You expect Gohan to defeat Cell, Freeza, and all of those other goons combined?" 

            "Yea- and isn't he still tired out?" Goku added. 

            Several glares leveled on the Saiyan, who blinked innocently. "What?" 

            "He's dead, Goku. The dead don't get tired." Piccolo growled impatiently. 

            "Well, they do, but all their energy is restored upon arrival." King Kai corrected, "But I didn't send him alone. Pikkon went with him." 

~*~

            "Pikkon?" Gohan found himself wandering through a sizable canyon. The eerie whirr of the golden aura surrounding his body was the only sound which dared to penetrate the arid silence. 

            His sharp eyesight suddenly made out a form before him; peering through the darkness, he saw it straighten, leaping away. 

            Pikkon lay before him, unconscious. "What… Pikkon, wake up!" 

            "One on one is always enjoyable…" A thick, sultry voice echoed through the rocky walls, causing Gohan's head to snap up. A woman stood before him, silky sable hair flowing around her pale-blue form. She gave a smirk, revealing enlarged canines. "But one on three is much more entertaining." 

            A trio of energies flickered at his back, and the demi-Saiyan flipped around, facing each of his worst enemies. Cell, Freeza, and King Cold stood before him, each with an equally sinister sneer. 

            Before he could react, Cell pounced, pushing him to the ground. In close quarters, Gohan was surprised by the blank expression within Cell's violet eyes… But he could not voice his questions; he was more occupied with removing the oppressive android.

            The woman's voice behind him caught his attention, but her voice was not directed at him. It was directed above… "King Kai, tell your Earthling friends to change that last wish." 

            Immediately, the Kai's voice boomed through the canyon. "And since when do we take orders from Infinite Losers?" 

            Cell suddenly increased his force, causing Gohan to give a frustrated grunt as he pushed back with rapidly tiring muscles. 

            "Since we caught two of your little warriors." 

            "But… why do you…?" Gohan finally managed to gasp out, although he immediately regretted it as Cell suddenly gained in their grappling match.

            "You're Saiyan, aren't you brat? Surely you thirst for a good battle. If you win, then you'll get wished back in a year." 

            "And if _you win…" King Kai prompted suspiciously._

            "We'll just have to see, won't we?" 

            "What if we turn you down?" 

            "Then Pikkon goes bye-bye." The woman replied coldly, placing a foot on the unconscious warrior's head. He did not respond. 

            "You…" 

            "Fine!" Gohan interrupted, surprising both Kai and woman. 

            "But Gohan…" 

            "I'll do it." The boy remained steadfast, eyes narrowed as he pressed against his opponent. 

            "Let the match begin." The woman stated with a satisfied smirk. 

            ((So much for a brief, easy battle.)) Okiri muttered. Both Juujen and Okiri groaned. 

~*~

The occupants of Kami's Lookout sat in uncomfortable silence for several moments, nervously shifting feet every once and awhile. The brush of fabric as the various Earthlings fidgeted was the only sound which managed to break the uncomfortable silence; that, and Shenlong's occasional groans. 

Finally, the Kai's voice returned; more rushed and irritated for some reason, he barked, "Oh-! Goku, change your last wish!" 

            "What!? Why!?" Goku replied, shocked at the suggestion. Gohan wouldn't be able to come back for a year…!

            King Kai's voice became more placid, stating, "Just do it, Goku." 

            With that, the link snapped, leaving them all in uncomfortable silence. 

            Piccolo managed to mask the uneasiness within his voice as he spoke, "Krillin, grant one last wish." 

            Krillin glanced up at the Namekian curiously. "Piccolo? But I don't even know what to… What's going on!?"

            "Decide quickly. Anything. Goku- we need to go talk." Piccolo murmured, suddenly diving off the edge of the terrace. 

            "Wait, what!?" The Saiyan called, watching the Namekian disappear. Finally regaining his senses, he followed, calling, "Piccolo!" 

~Finis Chapter 3~

I finished ^^ Boy, Gohan's in a pickle this time. Funny, both of my stories are focused in Otherworld at the minute. Strange how that worked out. Well, I expect this story'll be done with Otherworld before Serendipity. 

Next time on Kokuhaku (didn't do this last chapter, sorry!)

_"It_ means_ that something is going on up there, and King Kai isn't telling us."_

_((Who are you?))_

_((You can only die once, Mr. Piccolo. Remember that.))_

Uh-oh… Hehe ^^ Find out what _that_ meant next chapter! 

            Reviewers!

            **DBZ Chick: _Ah, the famous word ^^ But judging by the current situation, is Gohan even going_ to come back…? *evil smirk*__**

**Saiyagal****:_ So I'm not the only evil Gohan fan? That's good to know ^^_**

**Matt Zero: _Your wish is my command ^^ I will skip some stuff though, for suspense's sake_**

**Alex Ultra: _Yay__, my constant reviewer! I changed my story to spell Pikkon your way, I wasn't sure so I just spelled it the way it sounded the first time o.O Pizza is good!_**

**Rarity 88: _Amen, sister ^^ _All_ about the angst! _**

**SwomeSwan****: _That's two votes, and that's enough for me ^^ Hopefully it didn't give too much away…_**

**Gohanzgirl****:_ Thanks! I won't leave it, I promise. Who knows how far this story'll go?_**

Lotsa reviews this chapter. Sorry if there are errors in this chapter, I didn't check it quite as rigorously as I usually do (sorry, I'm lazy today). I'll have Chapter 4 up soon (We hope, you'll have to kick me a few times to get me around to doing it ;P) Hope you enjoyed, c-ya later!


	4. Dissolution

Hiya!

Wow, I'm finally back ^^ Sorry it took so long… I've been either busy or extremely lazy lately o.O Thanks to my beta reader, I finally got off my butt and made this chapter. Hope you enjoy it! 

Last time on Kokuhaku!

_"You're Saiyan, aren't you brat? Surely you thirst for a good battle. If you win, then you'll get wished back in a year."_

_"And if you win…"_

_"We'll just have to see, won't we?" _

_"I'll do it."_

_  
_

_"Krillin, grant one last wish."___

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Kokuhaku: Chapter 4

Dissolution

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**"Spirit energy is so _stupid! _It's never there when you need it!"**

**~_Yusuke Uramechi_**

Goku quickly arrived at the Namekian's side, suddenly realizing he still held Gohan's body; gripping his son tighter to avoid dropping him, he raised his voice over the wind. "What's going on, Piccolo? Gohan's going to be dead for a_ year_ now!"  

          "A year is nothing." Piccolo muttered coldly. 

          Goku dropped back in surprise, but caught himself and sped forward. "Piccolo…" 

          "Recall in the battle? When I shouted to you about Gohan's thoughts?" 

          The Saiyan blinked, holding his tongue for a minute in confusion. Soon he reclaimed his speech. "Uh… A little of it. I thought you were…" 

          "No," Piccolo hastily snapped, "I wasn't bluffing." 

          "But… How…?" 

          "Our strong… friendship… formed a mental bond. If he would allow, I could read his thoughts—or if he was distracted. We used it against Android 19 and 20, too." (A/N: I'm not sure if the others knew about this or not. I just know Gohan and Piccolo talked to each other when 20 attacked Piccolo during the Android Saga.)

          "I'm guessing fighting a maniacal android constitutes 'distracted'?"

          "Yea. Well, obviously I felt it when Gohan died- that was why I started to tense up, in case you noticed-and when King Kai was speaking, I tried to read Gohan's spirit's thoughts." 

          "Wonder how…" 

          "Never mind that. When I read them, though, it was very strange…" 

          "Why?" 

          They had finally reached the forest crown, and Piccolo shot Son a glare for interrupting before continuing, "It wasn't his own thoughts- it was as if another person was blocking them. I tried to get to Gohan, but something blockaded me away and I've had a hell of a headache since." 

          "So… What does this mean?" Goku inquired, quite obviously confused. 

          "It _means that something is going on up there, something King Kai isn't telling us." _

          The pair flew in somber silence for a moment, the only sound being that of the wind tearing at their skin. 

          "No Gohan for a year, huh?"  Goku commented softly, his tone not its usual chipper self. "It's gonna be quiet." 

          A sudden thought struck, and a look of immense fear crossed the grown Saiyan's face as he exclaimed, "Oh no! What'll I tell Chi-chi!?" 

          Piccolo raised an eyebrow, replying, "Don't ask me- you married the woman." 

          "I thought marriage was a _food." Goku snapped, immediately regretting it as Piccolo burst out laughing. Growing more cross, he added, "Well no one ever told me…" _

          "So, Son, is everything mysterious to you identified as a food?" 

          "You aren't helping." 

          "Who said I wanted to?" 

          "Ugh…" 

~*~

          "Oh…" Son Chi-chi leaned impatiently against the doorway of her modest abode, raven hair pulled back in her conventional bun. 

          Continuing her lament, she muttered, "Those boys- oooh, how could they make me wait!?" 

          Goku tapped down gently in the backyard, still considering his method of approach. Mouthing his planned conversation, he muttered aloud, "Well-uh-hi, Chi-chi. Um… I kind of let our son die… No, no! Hi, Chi-chi… Well, Cell's dead! And so's our son! No way, agh!" 

          Suddenly the kitchen door burst open, a fuming housewife standing in the lit doorway. 

          Goku glanced up, not daring to breathe. 

          Chi-chi carefully looked him over, until she sighted the limp, battle-scarred body dangling from his arms. 

          She promptly passed out. 

          Blinking in surprise, Goku commented, "Well, that was easy." 

~*~

          The constant roar of the glistening waterfall seemed to impede on Piccolo's sleep; finally aggravated with trying, he rose, gently gliding through the air until he reached a comfortable meditation area. Crossing his legs in the familiar gesture, he closed his eyes in concentration. (A/N: Does Piccolo sleep? I'm curious ^^)

          ((I can't… breathe… _Mr. Piccolo!))_

"Oh…" He cursed himself. "Can't my mind ever shut up?" 

But his sub-conscious gave a resounding 'no', looping the conversation of that afternoon once more. 

Fed up with his repetitive thoughts, Piccolo impulsively decided to, once again, try to reach his student. 

          It hadn't worked before… But maybe…

          To his surprise, he felt his mind brush against his well-known student's.

          Determined to find out what was happening, the former demon king pushed deeper than normal- once again he was surprised as, for the second time, Gohan's senses replaced his own. 

          No, he corrected himself, not completely- the ghostly pain he had felt before spread through his limbs, but it wasn't nearly as sharp, just… uncomfortable. 

          He could, however, feel that he was on his back, rocks digging into his skin relentlessly. Chilled air seemed to bite into his skin, as well. 

          Piccolo noted that the phantom-pain he felt was etched with fatigue; reminiscent of what he felt after a drawn-out battle. 

          Tentatively stretching out his mind, he was about to call out when a voice tiredly inquired, ((Piccolo?))

          The Namekian soon realized it was the person he had heard speaking earlier, not the Gohan he knew. But, despite his confusion, he confirmed. 

          The mystery voice laughed softly, murmuring, ((Figures Juujen's role-model would show up.))

          ((Who are you?)) Piccolo asked impatiently, confusion aggravating him. 

          Another harsh laugh sounded. ((Little late to be asking that, isn't it? It won't matter in a few minutes…))

          ((What do you mean? Don't make me repeat myself, kid.)) Piccolo growled, letting the affectionate nickname slip. He didn't check it, however, since somehow… he knew this was, in some obscure way, Gohan. 

          ((Just call me Okiri. Who I am doesn't matter. I'll be gone in a few minutes.))

          ((Fine, _Okiri__. What are you talking about?))_

          Okiri decided to ignore the Namekian, muttering, ((Ironic. Dad told me to finish Cell off, so we could all go home, and I held it against him when he almost left. Funny how things switch around.))

          ((Kid…)) Piccolo was shocked at the hopeless mood his student was in. ((Why do you sound like you're about to die? As far as I can tell, that threat is done with.)) 

          ((You can only die once, Mr. Piccolo. Remember that.))

          ((There's nothing up there that can hurt you. Not after beating Cell! ...Is there?)) 

As if to answer, Okiri's eyes fluttered open, revealing a crimson sky. On cue, an ebony figure landed beside the boy, jabbing a smooth, unblemished fist at his chest. 

          He snatched the assaulter's wrist, pushing back with all of his might. The fatigue within his body worked against him more than the enemy, however. 

          ((Kid, dodge it!))

          ((I can't… anymore… Piccolo, leave, right now!))

          The figure bent forward, revealing a feminine face with serpentine beauty. "Come now, my little Saiyan. Why the resistance?" 

          Okiri's eyes narrowed as he spat, "You… killed Juujen!" 

          Piccolo growled in frustration as he was slowly pulled from his student, rising to an eagle's eye view. He grimaced; the demi-Saiyan was a mess.

          The woman gave a venomous smile. "Don't think of it as a death. Think of it as a rebirth." 

          ((Fight back, Okiri!))

          ((Sorry… I'm not coming back this time…))

          The woman's index finger stabbed forward, piercing Gohan's chest- into his heart. 

          Piccolo watched in mixed horror as the boy's head snapped back, a bloodcurdling scream escaping Gohan's mouth as crimson light enveloped the woman's hand. 

          ((Gohan--!)) 

          Piccolo jerked awake on Earth, sweat beading on his skin. Despite his efforts, he couldn't get his harsh breath to lessen. Or his heart to stop hurting. 

~*~

          Chi-chi stirred restlessly as her husband suddenly jerked awake, heart pounding in his ears. He waited a moment for his eyesight to clear, before carefully edging out of bed and pulling on his traditional gi. He silently drifted out of the house, managing to keep certain housewives ignorant of his midnight excursion. 

          To his surprise, Piccolo was standing nearby, looking clearly miffed. Beads of sweat glistened in the moonlight as they collected on his skin. 

          Goku soon realized, however, that he was in the same condition. 

          A pain tore at his chest, one he had never felt before. "…He's not coming back, is he?" 

            ~Finis Chapter~

          How'd you like? Oh, one little thing to mention. You might think it was weird that the battle in otherworld would last so long, considering it didn't end till the middle of the night and started during the day, but you also have to remember that time passes differently in Otherworld and the real world. So, what was 7-8 hours in real world was really only about an hour-long battle in Otherworld. King Kai told them to make the wish when he realized that the girl was only playing with Gohan. I would've explained this in the story… But I couldn't really think of how to put it in ^^ What can I say, I'm just darn lazy during the summer! Anyways, this was one of the more exciting chapters. Next time, it'll be mostly talk… I don't mind it, though, since it has Goten in it ^^ Kawaii Goten! And guess who else shows up? 

          Next time on Kokuhaku:

_"So…" Satan Videl muttered, "The bastard's heading for the 459 mountain area, all this time. Well, I'll just have to follow, won't I?"_

_          A small sound reached Videl's ears, and she twisted around in surprise, falling into a fighting position. Instead of a fierce assaulter, however, she found a four-year-old boy. _

_Something about him was familiar…_

          Let's see, on to reviewers! Not that many this time, but that's just tough. Let's see: 

**Matt Zero: **_o.O__ Noooo! That woman isn't Videl, believe me! She's just a misc. warrior. She isn't brought into the rest of the story, I don't think. Maybe a mention --; _

**DBZ Chick: **_Sorry! I made you wait anyway, didn't I?_

**Simba-rulz****: _Yep, poor, poor Gohan. Well, it wasn't soon, but I updated! _**

**Alex Ultra: **_Well, since Pikkon wasn't necessary for the woman's needs, she simply knocked him out. She was just playing with Gohan for awhile. Like I mentioned, time passes differently, so what was actually 7-8 hours in the real world was only a short, maybe hour-long battle in other-world.  _

          I'll try to update Serendipity soon o.O I have writer's block for that one ^^ Well, see ya later! 


	5. The Young and the Stubborn

Hiya!

            Sorry this isn't a chapter of Serendipity, but I'm still checking that one over for errors. I'll put it up ASAP. Enjoy anyways!

Disclaimer: I don't own… never have, never will *sniff*

Last time on Kokuhaku!

_((You can only die once, Mr. Piccolo. Remember that.))_

_((There's nothing up there that can hurt you. Not after beating Cell! ...Is there?))_

_"Don't think of it as a death. Think of it as a rebirth."_

_((Sorry… I'm not coming back this time…))_

_((Gohan--!))___

_"…He's not coming back, is he?"_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 5 

The Young and the Stubborn

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"There is one thing even more vital to science than intelligent methods; and that is, the sincere desire to find out the truth, whatever it may be." **

**~_Charles Sanders Pierce_**       

"Oooh, that's it!" The 15-year-old girl's voice echoed through the cockpit of her copter, although the roar of the propellers soon quenched the outcry. 

            The wooded land beneath her grew thicker as she tried to ignore the growing ache in her back- she had been flying a good two hours, after all. Far, far in the distance, she could barely make out the haze of a mountain range. 

            "So…" Satan Videl muttered, "The bastard's heading for the 439 mountain area, all this time. Well, I'll just have to follow, won't I?"

            Stubbornness was one of Videl's strongest…. Ahem… "gifts." Once a mystery was brought to her attention, she had to solve it, then and there. Many had suggested that she become a reporter due to her nosiness, but she resented these comments and generally ended up punching the offender in various places. 

            "Ah, I will catch that midget punk! How could he insult me like that? And fly!? It's gotta be a trick…" 

            That morning, her father had sent her to cordially invite the famous Briefs to the annual celebration of Cell's defeat. Upon arriving, however, she had not met the kinder Bulma Briefs, but her stubborn husband, whom had not been very amiable.

            Stuck in her own thoughts of revenge, she failed to realize that she had reached her destination. Finally coming to, Videl overreacted slightly, bringing her copter to the ground like a lead weight. Luckily, she was a talented pilot, and the only sound was a light thump as the propellers slowly lost momentum and the copter settled down snugly. 

            Clambering out and capsulizing the vehicle, Videl gathered her surroundings. 

            Well, she had landed in a forest clearing. 

            And no one was around. 

            "Maybe I should have searched from the air?" She pondered aloud, but after eyeing the thick forest crown she quickly shrugged off the notion and started her investigation. 

            A small sound reached Videl's ears, and she twisted around in surprise, falling into a fighting position. Instead of a fierce assaulter, however, she found a four-year-old boy. 

            The first thing she noticed about him was his hair. It was jet-black and it stood out in several odd directions, defying gravity amazingly well. He wore an orange gi with a long-sleeved navy undershirt. Something about him was familiar…

            After several seconds of intense silence, the child spoke, "Whatcha doin'?"

            "Um… Looking for something. Are you out here alone?" Videl replied, slightly confused. She held back a smile at the boy's sweet voice. 

            The chibi nodded in answer to her question. She then implored, "Well, where are your parents?"

            He considered this a moment, before responding, "Mommy was doin' chores, and I wanted to find Daddy to spa-w, but today's the day when Daddy gets sad and Mommy says it's a day of mour… mou…"

            "Mourning?" Videl supplied. 

            "Yea, that. I don't like it when Daddy's sad, and Mr. Piccolo's sad today too. Daddy's usually happy, and when he's happy he'll spa-w with me. But not today."

            "But today's a day of celebration! Today's the day Cell was defeated!" The teenager cried in surprise. 

            The chibi shook his head, "Nuh-uh. Mommy and Daddy are always sad today." He considered his words for a moment, then added, "Well, Mommy always cries today, but not in front of me. Daddy doesn't do that. He just goes away." Blinking at the words that had exited his mouth, he shrugged at a thought that Videl could not hear and glanced to the ground. 

            Videl decided to hold off on her more personal questions, for fear of upsetting him. Instead, she asked, "So… What's your name?"

            "Goten." He replied cutely. He then held up a bouquet of flowers, adding, "I got these for Daddy, to cheer him up. Do you think they'll work?"

            "I think they'll do fine, Goten. My name's Videl, by the way." Videl replied, seating herself beside the chibi as Goten relaxed onto the forest floor. "So- why are your parents sad today?"

            Instead of Goten's childish tone, however, a gruff voice replied, "For reasons nosy Satans do not need to know." 

            "Veggie!" Goten cried, leaping to his feet to hug the intruder. Due to his lack of height, the chibi was forced to jump, landing a hug around the man's waist. 

            Vegeta glanced down at the clinging chibi, barking, "Brat, your banshee mother sent me out to find you. Go home." 

            Goten leapt away, quickly departing down the path. Before he completely disappeared, however, he glanced back and called, "Bye, Miss Lady! Bye, Veggie!"

            "Well, glad I found you, Vegeta. Or should I call you Veggie?" Videl teased, waving a finger. 

            The older man glared at her in his usual dark manner. "Did you run out of criminals to follow? I certainly didn't hear of Hercule going to jail yet." 

            Videl felt her cheeks tinge crimson as she snapped, "My father isn't a crook! How could you say that, today of all days!?"

"I should be asking you that question." Vegeta growled, voice dangerously low. 

"Why do you keep saying that!? In what way is my father a crook? Last time I heard, saving the world wasn't a crime," Videl replied hotly, but her mind was saying other cruel things. Actually agreeing with Vegeta, almost. But… her father wouldn't lie to her, all these years… Would he? 

Vegeta interrupted her thoughts, sneering, "Really? I thought libel and slander was a crime." 

This time, Videl's whole face bloomed a cherry red. "My father hasn't lied about anything! If you're insinuating…" 

"I'm not insinuating. I'm saying it quite clearly-" Vegeta interjected, "Your father did _not defeat Cell."_

At a loss of comebacks, she resorted to more childish tactics. "Oh yea!? Says who!?"  

"Says me. Says Son Goku. Says Piccolo Daimo. Says Krillin, says Tien, says Chaotzu. That enough for you?" 

"They sound… Familiar." 

Vegeta snorted. "They should. Judging by your background, I surmise you know most of the World Martial Arts Tournament contestants?" 

"That's it!" Videl yelled, causing Vegeta to jump slightly. She slammed a fist into her hand, exclaiming, "That's why he was so familiar! Goten's the son of Goku, isn't he?" 

"Took you long enough. They only look identical, wear the same clothes..." The older man groaned. "There are too many baka Sons on this planet. Horrors, a second son already…" 

"Wow. Whenever I see that guy, he's grinning so wide I wonder why his head doesn't split open. What on earth could make him as sad as Goten said he is?" 

Vegeta's demeanor dropped a good 50 degrees as he sent an icy glare towards the girl. "You needn't know." 

"Yes I do!" Videl snapped. "If you were there, and all those other Tournament finalists, who did beat Cell?" 

"You don't think your father did it?" Vegeta snarled. 

"I never really have. But no one's ever told me otherwise, so…" 

The man seemed to reconsider his actions, before replying, "None of the Tournament finalists defeated Cell. Nor did I." 

"So, the Golden Fighter, that was Son Goku? And you were the other one? Then who was the Delivery Boy…? He was a Gold Fighter, too." Videl pondered aloud. 

Vegeta became graver. "Delivery Boy? Is that the name you foolish humans have bestowed him with?" 

"Why do you always talk like that? In case you haven't noticed, you're human too." 

The man broke out laughing, very close to rolling on the ground with mirth. Finally gathering himself, he stalled his humor, continuing, "Oh… Haven't had a laugh like that in a long time." 

Confused beyond belief, she changed the subject. "Anyways, why do you care what we call that kid? He didn't do anything. Heck, he probably went running home after the cameras died." 

_This_ apparently ticked off the adult. All signs of humor left his features, and his arctic mood returned full force. "That _Delivery Boy_ is the reason you stand on these grounds. And damn it, I'll never forgive him for it!"

"You're saying… that the Delivery boy… Defeated Cell?" Videl gasped, eyes widened. She did not waste time pondering on why the short man hated his savior. 

"I think I've told you enough for today." Vegeta growled, turning away. _I was about to go into a rant there- Damn you, Kakkarot, instilling this weak secret-keeping business in me. That stupid gaki… He died without letting me fight him! All that wasted time with him, and he never showed me of all the shit he was capable of! Damn him… _He smirked inwardly. _Yes, but now, I can leave Kakkarot to mop up the mess. This is my revenge for all these damned secrets. _

Before Videl could shout angrily back (and break Vegeta from his thoughts), Goten ran into view once more, calling, "Veggie! Mommy wants to know if you'll stay for dinner! And Miss Lady too!" 

"Do you recall the whole nickname thing, brat?" Vegeta growled at the chibi. 

"Painful and torturous death?" 

"You got it. What does the harpy want now?" 

"She asked me to ask you if you and Miss Lady wanted to stay for dinner. And she sent me to find Daddy." Goten replied proudly. 

            "As if I would give up decent food for my mate's garbage." Vegeta snorted, automatically turning to head in the direction Goten had come from. 

            Videl considered for a moment, but decided, "My dad would be upset if I didn't come to his dinner tonight. I better not stay much longer." 

            Goten's eyes widened. "But Mommy wants to meet you! Can't you stay awhile?" He gave his best pleading look, which (considering his heritage) was quite affective. 

            Videl gave in, although she had a nagging feeling that she was in for it. "Alright, I'll stay a few minutes…" 

            "Yay!" The chibi grinned, "Hey! You can come help me find Daddy, too!" 

            "Uh…" Before the teenager could resist, she was being dragged off (with amazing strength for a 4-year-old) through a dizzying maze of trees. 

            They finally reached a break in the thick woods, which mainly consisted of a gentle hill, neatly sliced in half by a crystalline brook that gleamed in the dying sunlight. A lone pine tree infiltrated the clearing, rising a good fifty feet into the air. Videl whistled in comment at the sizable pine- although she knew little of trees, she believed it was a Japanese cedar. She had a bonsai one, actually- an old hobby.  

            She soon realized that a figure sat in the tree, about two-thirds of the way up. He was silhouetted perfectly against the setting sun, casting a lone shadow across the hill. 

            Goten clambered up the tree with monkey-like grace, soon reaching his father's side (Videl automatically assumed the figure was, indeed, Son Goku). 

            Unwilling to follow and spoil the moment, the teenager seated herself on the ground, hoping the gesture would still her impatient nature. It didn't. To solve this, she began to systematically strip a dandelion of its petals. 

            'Dad lies… he doesn't lie… he lies… he doesn't lie…' 

~Finis Chapter~

            Sorry this is so short, but if I didn't stop here, it could go on forever ^^; (imagines many responses of "And that's a bad thing!?") Hey, I've gotta add some tension! I'll try to update soon, since I'm leaving for a week… Well, here's a preview of Chapter 6:

_Goku raised an eyebrow in slight confusion as he landed with silent grace behind the mystery girl- she was busily stomping a petal-less dandelion into the ground, shouting, "What do you know, huh!?" _

_"Flying? Flying is a… trick…"_

Reviews! Yay, I got reviews! ^^ Teehee!

**Gohanzgirl****- _LOL Poor Gohanzgirl… ^^; _**

**DBZ Chick1- **_Have you been branded with a number, too? Well it's kind of obvious Gohan is out of the picture. I say no more. *mischievous grin*_

**Simba-rulz****- _Yea, he is. That seems to happen in both of my stories, doesn't it?_**

**I-**_ lol That's a new way to go about getting updates. I must admit I've never gotten a bodily threat before. _

**Astrozazel****- _Although I've already told you this, I'm a big fan of your story. Update!! Thanks for the insight, too, because it's always great to get a review that goes past 'Update. Thank you.' Not that I'm complaining, since those always make me laugh (especially I's) _**

**Ooshi**** Kurai- _o.O__ I was kinda in shock after I read this. I love your work… It's kinda creepy to have the adoration reversed on me! LOL *Adopts stern tone of voice* Don't ever do that again! *blushes* Hehe… Thanks bunches!_**

**Nisaa_sd****- _I'm sorry… Don't read Serendipity, if you don't like Gohan dying *nervous laugh* _**

            Yay! I got so many reviews last chapter! *sniff* It makes me so happy!!! LOL Okie dokies, I'm gonna shut up so I can get this posted tonight. Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are the greatest! 


	6. In Contrast

Hiya!

            I deserve an award, getting around to this! Hehe ^^ Well, I don't have much to say… I had high school orientation this morning, I think it reminded me that the summer's pretty much over, so that spurred me into putting this together (finally!). Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: I no own. I will never own, and never have… Wow…

Last time on Kokuhaku:

_"Well, glad I found you, Vegeta. Or should I call you Veggie?" Videl teased, waving a finger._

_All signs of humor left his features, and his arctic mood returned full force. "That Delivery Boy is the reason you stand on these grounds. And damn it, I'll never forgive him for it!"_

That stupid gaki… He died without letting me fight him! All that wasted time with him, and he never showed me an inkling of all the shit he was capable of! Damn him…_He smirked inwardly. _Yes, but now, I can leave Kakkarot to mop up the mess. This is my revenge for all these damned secrets.

_Goten__ clambered up the tree with monkey-like grace, soon reaching his father's side (Videl automatically assumed the figure was, indeed, Son Goku). _

_Unwilling to follow and spoil the moment, the teenager seated herself on the ground, hoping the gesture would still her impatient nature. It didn't. To solve this, she began to systematically strip a dandelion of its petals. _

_ 'Dad lies… he doesn't lie… he lies… he doesn't lie…' _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 6

In Contrast

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**"You can kill a man but you can't kill an idea."   
****-****_Medgar_****_ Evers_******

Goku had been sitting in the memorable pine tree for a good hour when he felt Goten's ki draw near, along with an unfamiliar signature. He hadn't bothered to identify the mystery. 

            He hadn't been thinking about much, in his day of isolation. There wasn't much to think about. At the moment, he was thinking of how ironic it was that here he was, sitting in the same tree, watching the same sun sink below the horizon, and yet… he didn't have the same son. 

            Goku had always tried to be closer to Goten, closer than he had been to Gohan. He couldn't ignore the fact that he had always been missing from his first son's life, whether it had been training or fighting evil tyrants; he had never thought about it, actually considered how Gohan or Chi-chi felt about his constant absence. He always relied upon coming home to a scolding Chi-chi, but his favorite part of coming home was Gohan. First a gentle smile, then finally a giving in and a hug that nearly strangled him. 

            Goten was great. He always chattered away about the lizard he found, or the cave he explored, but never the same greeting as Gohan. A pain tore at Goku's heart as he realized he'd never see that again. 

            If maybe Gohan had just died, and Goku knew he'd see him again, then he wouldn't feel this way whenever the anniversary came around. But no… he knew that even when he himself went to heaven, he wouldn't see Gohan. He'd never see Gohan. 

            "Dad?" Goten broke the Saiyan from his trance, glancing up with slight concern. 

            "Hm?" Goku replied, giving the chibi a faked smile. 

            "Mommy says dinner's ready. And I found a girl!" 

            "Really? You found her, huh?" Goku playfully tousled the chibi's hair before picking up his son and jumping off the branch, dropping to the ground carelessly.

            Goku raised an eyebrow in slight confusion as he landed with silent grace behind the mystery girl- she was busily stomping a petal-less dandelion into the ground, shouting, "What do you know, huh!?" 

Videl blushed a bright scarlet as she realized the famous martial artist was behind her; twirling around, she quickly bowed, sputtering, "Uh- sorry 'bout that… Um… Sorry to interrupt or anything, you see I was following Vegeta Briefs and I accidentally ran into your son and…" Her cheeks were tinged bright red as she realized she was babbling. "Uh… I've always admired you as a martial artist, Mr. Son." 

            Goku laughed despite himself, replying, "Nah, at least Goten didn't bring home a lizard. Chi-chi might kick us both out if that happened again. And you can call me Goku." 

            "Right, Goku. Uh… I'm Videl, Satan Videl." Somehow, Videl felt strange being on first-name terms with this famous martial artist, despite the fact that her father was an international hero. 

            "So you're Satan's daughter?" Goku mentally slapped himself for allowing the slightly hurt tone to infiltrate his careless demeanor. Covering up, he added, "Followin' Vegeta, huh? I'd say you're the first person I've met with the gall to do that, besides Bulma." 

            "He is kinda scary, isn't he?" Videl laughed, "Actually… He told me some pretty strange stuff today." 

            "Oh?" Goku eyed the girl curiously. Vegeta rarely talked to anyone, especially nosy humans. 

Before he could inquire further, however, Goten interjected from his father's shoulders, "Daddy! Tell me about Gohan again!" 

"Um… Goten, maybe later…" 

"You always tell me today, though!" Goten replied, pouting slightly. 

"Maybe I'll tell you later. Know what?" 

"What?" 

"Maybe if you ask Mom reaaaal nice, she'll let us go out and watch the stars tonight. Then I'll tell you aaaall about Gohan, with aaaaall the details!" 

"Everything?" Goten pushed excitedly, as he had only heard the 'condensed' version earlier. 

"Yep." The Saiyan replied, smiling reassuringly. 

"Wow!" The chibi exclaimed, leaping off his father's shoulders. "I'm gonna go ask Mom right now!" With that, he scampered away, disappearing into the woods. 

Videl blinked with slight surprise. The chibi was fast! She glanced at the man beside her, who was currently standing still with a gentle smile playing across his features. _He doesn't seem that depressed. What was Goten talking about?_

"I'm probably going to be talking awhile tonight." Goku commented bemusedly, suddenly regretting the decision. Of course, his mind reprimanded, it wasn't all talk that was bugging him…

"Feels like talking is all I've been doing today." Videl smiled. "My dad made me deliver spoken invitations to his 'special' guests, and the Briefs' were my last stop. Kinda got side-tracked when Vegeta insulted me the second he opened the door." 

"Sounds like Vegeta." The older man noted. 

"Yea… Then I followed him, and found Goten, then Vegeta started to talk to me… You know something funny?" 

"What?" 

"In the few times that I've met the Briefs, I always noticed one thing- Vegeta always called his son- Trunks, was it?-gaki, but just now, he called Goten a brat. It's like a term of affection for him or something… But why does he call one gaki, and the other brat?" 

"I think Vegeta calls any child he cares for brat. But gaki is a nickname for someone he holds more affection or respect for. Trunks is obviously his son, and very strong-willed at that, so he calls him gaki. But Goten hasn't… uh… climbed up the ranks yet, I guess." 

"So Trunks is the only one he calls gaki, huh? He has high standards for a couple kids." 

"There was one other. One we _all had the utmost respect for." _

"Where is he now?" Videl inquired curiously.

Goku's face became saddened as he glanced up at the weakly shining stars that had begun to appear in the rosy sky. He seemed mesmerized by the gleaming diamonds. "I'm not sure, really…" 

Videl felt a twinge of remorse. It was obvious Goku felt a lot of sadness for this child, whoever it was. Gathering her courage, she asked softly, "Who was he?" 

Goku took a moment to respond, as he stood stock still, staring up above. He finally murmured, "The kid I owe it all too, who I'd do anything to see again." Blinking, he returned his gaze to the teenage girl before him, smiling wistfully. "But I can't, anymore."  

Videl glanced up at the stars as well. "He was the Delivery Boy, wasn't he?" 

"Heh. Yea. That stupid nickname." 

"So… So it's true. What Vegeta said? My dad's a liar…" Videl replied, for a moment sad, but just as quickly angry beyond belief. "How could he do that!? He took the credit from a _kid!"  _

Goku stared at the girl a moment, surprised by the quick change of moods- she reminded him of Chi-chi! Rousing from his moment of silence, he replied hurriedly, "Don't worry about it, Videl. I don't think my son would want the credit, anyways. He'd probably be glad someone took up the role he had no desire to fulfill." 

Both remained silent for a moment, silently reminiscing or soaking in information. The main thought ringing through Videl's mind was: _Son!?_

Videl continued to stare at the stars, but was distracted as she glanced at her watch. "Oh no! It's already 8:00! Dad's gonna kill me!" 

"I could fly you, if you want…?" Goku offered, slightly confused by the sudden outburst. 

"Oh… No, my jet copter is plenty fast enough. It's top of the line, after all." Videl replied absentmindedly, pulling a packet of capsules from her pocket. "I'll only be a few hours late…" 

Just as she was about to pick out her beloved jet copter, however, a warm hand enclosed on her wrist. Confused, she glanced up to see Goku with two fingers pressed to his forehead in some strange gesture. 

To her surprise, a wind picked up, swirling the dry dirt around their forms; it soon died away, however, and a subtly cooler gust brushed against her skin. She blinked in surprise; she was standing in front of her house! 

"How…" She uttered, dropping her packet of capsules. Blushing at her loss of composure, she leaned over and began to fumble for the scattered articles. 

Goku watched the girl's reaction with a bemused grin. "Just a little trick of mine. Now I gotta go- Chi-chi's gonna kill me if I'm any later…" 

            As he turned to leave, however, Videl straightened and called out, "Wait! Can you teach me how to do that?" 

            He turned around once more, obviously surprised. "Well, I can't teach you_ that_, but I can teach you how to fly." 

            "Flying? Flying is a… trick…" Her voice faded away as the man rose into the air with a slightly smug grin. 

            "I wouldn't say that, Satan Videl. If you want to learn, just come over whenever. I'll be at home most of the time." 

            "That'd… be great. Thank you." Videl, still slightly dazed, teetered into her house whilst Goku once more disappeared into thin air.

            _Ugh… I feel horrible… His son died__ in that fight-was it in the fight? It had to have been-and my dad still took the credit. What the Sons must've gone through! And I bet Goten never even met him… I think Goku called him Gohan…Kami, when I saw him on the broadcast, he only looked my age. A kid sacrificed himself to- I can't believe Dad would ever… Swallowing the disgust rising in her throat, Videl strode toward her house in broad, steady steps. She had a few things to talk about.        _

Arriving at his humble abode, which was by then cloaked in twilight, Goku silently hoped Chi-chi wouldn't mind his new student… 

            Strangely, a copper-like scent reached the Saiyan's nose- however, he quickly identified the metallic tang. _Blood…? _

            Darkness swamped his vision, wiping out the brightly-lit hut before him with ease; Goku cried out in surprise as several smells assaulted his sensitive nose- blood, dirt, sweat, _anger, hatred_… How did he _know_ that? How did he _feel that? __Why--!? _

            The assault on his senses ended. Instead, he saw a single figure, standing before him. It turned ever so slowly, revealing a grinning face, spiked, black hair… Eyes. Those warm, coal-colored eyes… 

            "…Gohan…" He whispered, before his knees gave out beneath him and the image shattered like glass, falling away from him….

            "Son? Son!? Goku!" 

            Blinking blearily, the Saiyan stirred, glancing up at his Namekian friend sleepily. "Wha-?" He held a hand to his forehead, trying to grasp his surroundings- however, that seemed nearly impossible, his thoughts clouded and swirling incoherently. _What the heck just happened? I… I don't even remember… Did I hit my head?_

            Piccolo offered him a hand, and he gratefully took it. Staggering to his feet, he fought back a sway and blinked several times to clear his vision. 

            Now both Vegeta and Goten were at his back, the latter questioning, "Are you ok? Dad? Huh? Are you?" 

            "Woah! Yeah, I'm fine, I just slipped on the grass, I think!" The Saiyan responded with a carefree grin, thanking Piccolo for his help before heading for the house. Even if he was slightly confused by that little episode, Goku was much too preoccupied with the growling in his stomach. First things first. 

            Accepting his father's testimony without a second thought, Goten scurried after. 

            Vegeta and Piccolo remained on the moonlight-splashed hill, faces grim. Both knew what the other was thinking; however, Piccolo commented anyways. "Slipped?" 

            "You felt his ki go up a moment ago, did you not?" 

            The Namekian nodded, and then thought for a moment. "Was it his I.T.?" 

            Vegeta glared at his companion with a scornful snort. "That technique doesn't require nearly that much power!" 

            Huffing, the Saiyan Prince cracked his knuckles consecutively, raising a foot in preparation for stomping towards the Son residence. "I hate secrets! If that idiot doesn't tell me what the hell just happened—" 

            "Leave him alone. We've all had our moments. Maybe he was just letting out some frustration." Piccolo advised, grabbing the Prince's shoulder, despite how unwise this movement might have been. 

            Vegeta glared at the emerald-skinned being for a moment before swiping the four-fingered hand off with disgust. "What would someone as brainless as Kakkarot actually be _frustrated_ about…" 

            The Namekian leveled an equally threatening glare on the shorter being. "Even someone as heartless as you could figure that _one out." With that, he spun, taking off into the star-dusted sky. _

            The Saiyan glared after the departing figure for a moment, deep in thought. Heaving a sigh, he turned, walking back into the house. _I hate secrets, and I hate mysteries, and I hate Kakkarot… And I hate thinking this damn much about him. Shut up. _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Didja likes? I liked. Well, Gohan was mentioned at least, right? Please bear with me ^^ It's still a good story (I hope)! 

Reviewers! Woohoo, Serendipity and Kokuhaku are even! *Woot!* 36! *sniff* I'm so happy… So many reviews… 

**Extrenm54- **_Um… Well, think about it! He barely beat Perfect Cell when he was SSJ2 (Ok, he could, but he was holding back), and now he was fighting him in SSJ. Even if he did finally go SSJ2, the girl was pretty damn fast. She could keep up with him, maybe faster, because she puts her strength in her speed versus punches. Also, she can put people into a deep sleep (Like Pikkon), which is useful. Her technique is, generally, dart in, knock em out, and dart out. Pretty simple. And Gohan couldn't keep up, especially after she disgruntled him by 'killing' Juujen. And he couldn't be wished back because, well, his spirit doesn't exist anymore. The lady killed him. He is dead. D-e-d, dead. _

**DBZ Chick 1- **_Sorry, used all my explanatory powers on the last review. You'll just have to read and see, won't you? _

**Astrozazel****-_ Same to you! Ugh, no romance, blech, I couldn't write romance if my life depended on it. Hey, I'm going into Driver's Ed within the next 2 years- don't even mention splattered brains ^^; Hope you enjoyed this too!_**

**Simba-rulz-**_Again__, sorry, but stick with me, k? It'll get better. Much, much better. This is the slow interval. _

**Gohanzgirl**-**_ Poor Videl.__ Vegeta laughs at everybody, although not always audibly. *sweatdrop* Is that where my main character got to? Evil Gohanzgirl!_**

**SSJ5Tigger- **_Sorry.__ 2 days passed. Are you still here? Work is good! If you get paid. Which I don't. *Pout*_

**Kirbmasterx****- _My longest review yet… And yet with the least comment… but poor Link, anyways ^^ Link is awesome! _**

**Ooshii**** Kurai- _Too lazy to sign, huh? LOL I had to put Vegeta defending Gohan! Just so he could inwardly curse him ^^ I wonder. Will they bring him back? Hmm…_**

**Shea** Loner- **_Different is good, considering how many clone-stories there are out there.__ Thank you ^^ I'm trying to keep the story rolling, but honestly, I'm the laziest writer on the face of this planet! _**

**Aleandra**** Alyra Sarienna- _*Gasp* Looong name. LOL Yup, two times over! Glad you're back ^^ Stay this time!_**

**Kia**** Kawaii Princess- _Long name, too. Geez, what is it with you people? It's enough trying to remember all the double letters in Ooshi Kurai! ^^; Glad I've got your attention, at least. I fear I'm losing some others… _**

            Like I said, thanks for all the reviews! *Sniff, sniff* I'm so touched! I hope I'm not losing you guys with all this talk and mysteries and stuff (Vegeta's surely had enough of it). Where did Alex Ultra ever go, anyways?

Next time on Kokuhaku!

_Why was he crying?_

_A flicker ran through the smooth, scarlet surface- flame engulfed it, glass and all, leaping at him with a frenzied voracity, heat pressing upon his face…_

_"This son of yours has become another… another… _oooh!_"_

_"Goten? Why are you drawing the same thing over and over?" _

Thanks for reading! I'll try to update soon, but I'm starting school next week, so I'll be half-asleep (I'm a night-owl… Not a morning person, especially 6:00-in-the-morning-person) and bleary-eyed. Alrighties, enough talk, more posting (And sleep- must collect ^^). Hope you enjoyed, c-ya! (I always write the longest A/N. I'm weird like that.)


	7. Quiritas in Silens

Hiya, finally!

            I got 50 reviews! That's awesome! Hehe ^^ I twas so happy! Anyways, I'm finally back after my school-induced absence. I'll get on with it, since I'm still dog-tired from school. 

            Disclaimer: I no own. I'm simply proud that I remembered to write this. 

Last time on Kokuhaku! 

_"The kid I owe it all too, who I'd do anything to see again." Blinking, he returned his gaze to the teenage girl before him, smiling wistfully. "But I can't, anymore."_

_"So… So it's true. What Vegeta said? My dad's a liar…" Videl replied, for a moment sad, but just as quickly angry beyond belief. "How could he do that!? He took the credit from a kid!" _

_Strangely, a copper-like scent reached the Saiyan's nose- however, he quickly identified the metallic tang. _Blood…?

_"…Gohan…" He whispered, before his knees gave out beneath him and the image shattered like glass, falling away from him…_

What the heck just happened? I… I don't even remember… Did I hit my head?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 7

Quiritas in Silens

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"The dead cannot cry out for justice; it is a duty of the living to do so for them."**

**_-_**_Lois McMaster Bujold_**__**

As rosy light enveloped the gently coursing river, the only sound that interrupted the serene silence was that of the rustle of fabric and the lap of crystalline liquid against stones that interrupted its flow. 

            The tall being had decided to move downstream from his beloved waterfall for once; for a reason he could not identify, the water's thick roar had grated against his ears after only a few moments. Frustrated, he had complied with his ears' complaints and slowly migrated until the pounding din had dulled to the soft rippling of the river. 

            Compiling himself once more, he took up his meditative position, eyes closed. Ah. Silence. 

            _I wish Gohan would come and… Kami-damn it. Shut up. _

His silent berating of himself for the slip-up ceased as a familiar voice reached his ears. "Piccolo!" 

            Sighing and growling deep in his throat, he opened one eye and shot a hostile glare at the Saiyan. "Can't I meditate for five seconds without you interrupting?" 

            The spiteful comment bounced off the ever-cheery Goku with ease. "Why are you down here? Why aren't you at the waterfall?" 

            "I felt like a change of pace. Does your visit have a point, or are you just here to set back my meditation?" 

            Goku grinned, scratching his head in that familiar fashion. However, instead of stalling with further small talk, he got straight to the point. "I was wondering about something." 

            "Hn," Piccolo grunted, closing his eyes. 

            Translating the indifferent reaction, he continued, "I've been feeling… strange lately. Like there's something I'm missing. Have you… Have you been noticing the same thing?" 

            "…I did feel like I was being watched, once, but I felt nothing around me, and I dismissed it. A childish whim. Why do you care, Son? Maybe it's just because…" 

            "Yes, I know, it's that time of year. I don't think it's that, though. It's so… familiar. Haunting." 

            Piccolo blinked at this choice of words. Son was acting quite un-Son-like. He chose his words slowly, afraid of the slightest slip. "It may be just a notion. Notions can come from anything." 

            Goku stared down his Namekian ally for a moment, face dead-serious. "I've only had this feeling once, Piccolo. It was when I was on Yardrat, after the battle with Freeza. It was this feeling that something was there that… that I hadn't thought would be there. Like Freeza being alive. I never thought that could happen, but it did…" 

            Piccolo held his companion's gaze, ebony eyes gleaming with curiosity. He couldn't find a single word to say, however. 

            Goku quietly shook his head, eyes closed. "Look, sorry I interrupted you. I'll go now, I guess." 

            With that, the Saiyan disappeared into the sky, leaving Piccolo in silence. 

            The Namekian stared at the crystalline water tumbling over itself beneath him. _Well that was brief…Damn, he confuses me sometimes._

~*~

It was dark.

            Of course, that was expected, because he was asleep. But he was also apparently in a dream, or else he wouldn't _know_ it was dark. Nor would he feel the clammy temperature against his skin, or hear his clothing rustle as he shifted his stance in increasing confusion. 

            Ok, so it was definitely a dream. 

            …Ok…

What a boring dream. Maybe he should wake up?

            But something about the inky darkness beckoned him, curling an inviting shadowy finger at him in a taunting silence. Figuring nothing could go wrong (it was, after all, just a dream), he gave in. 

            After a few seconds of only footsteps, a crunch suddenly shot through the air; despite himself, Goku felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. He wasn't quite sure of the source of the sound, but since he saw nothing ahead of him, he automatically looked down. 

            There, beneath his foot, was a fractured portrait of himself, splayed in several directions. It seemed that each sliver of his reflection displayed another angle, another shadow upon his face… A thin, web-like trace of silvery threads raced from his foot, invading nearby fragments of the vision.

            Shards… Shards of glass, he realized. Despite the dark around him, he could somehow see now, the small collection of glass strewn about his feet. How had it gotten there? What kind of a dream _was_ this!?

            A whisper, like the rattle of dried leaves as an autumn breeze swept past, tickled Goku's acute senses. For some bizarre reason, he was immediately on edge… Something malevolent was nearby… Somehow, he knew, not malevolent towards him. _At the time._

This thought, from some anonymous voice in the back of his head, strangely struck a nerve. What the heck!? Who? What? Where? Where were these stupid little feelings coming from, and what was with the broken glass at his feet? Nothing made _sense!_

            Suddenly his inane anger at himself was snapped as a voice, a distant echo, broke from the dark. 

            "We have a new destination… We'll be there soon, my friend…" 

            It stalled- its husky tone was foreign to the Saiyan. But the voice made Goku's nose crinkle; it belonged to a rat, if he had ever heard one. He was sure of it. Oblivious to his inner comments, the voice went on, growing more sinister… and angrier, as well. Somehow Goku knew that time had passed, that a few strings of conversation had been skipped. "You disbelieve? You think I can't do it?" A harsh laugh followed, accompanied by a deeper, almost baritone chuckle. The first voice continued on, still tainted with mirth. "I could do it in a heartbeat. I could kill them all. You are an idiot to think otherwise." 

            Goku felt a tension, not from the speaker, but from whoever was being addressed. It made him slightly uneasy. 

            "Fool! Damn it, you weak _fool!_" 

            This shouted phrase, echoing through the dark expanse at an almost painful volume, was not uttered by the original voice, but by a completely different one. It was young, for sure, but also that of a boy coming of age; it had the dark tone of someone full of loathing, as well. Goku could tell all these things, but had no clue as to the owner of the voice. It was certain- he did not recognize that voice at all. 

            Silence ensued; that is, except for one sound. Drip. Drip… Drip…

            The Saiyan glanced around, here and there, finally glancing at his feet. There, a puddle was forming, seemingly out of the cracks he had created. It simply oozed out, spreading between the silvery shards and tainting them a malignant crimson… 

            Goku took an involuntary step back, causing a scarlet smear to cross the surface of the glass he had been standing on. Eyes widening in horror, he unconsciously murmured aloud, "Blood…!?" 

            But this aroused another question. Where was the dripping sound coming from? 

            To his surprise, he found that answer in the tainted slivers. 

            There was his face, etched with surprise as his mirrored hand traced its way up to his cheek. It glistened. 

            Staring in surprise, Goku realized that circles of clarity had appeared in the ruby puddle, obviously from his tears… 

            Why was he crying?

            A flicker ran through the smooth, scarlet surface- flame engulfed it, glass and all, leaping at him with a frenzied voracity, heat pressing upon his face…

            Goku sat up with a jolt. The viscous fire had disappeared, replaced with flickering blades of grass, speckled with sunshine. 

            Oh. He was awake. 

            What a bizarre dream!

            (A/N: Sorry if that was confusing. But what can I say. I'm the master of confusion.)

A prickling sensation arose upon the back of his neck; he raised a still-numb hand to rub the affected area, instinctively glancing behind him. 

            There was nothing except woods, darkened by the thick canopy of the trees. That, and the rustle of the wind through the jade leaves. _That damn__ feeling again… That has to be the third or fourth time this week…_

            Giving a sigh, he turned around, and immediately yelped, as a blue-eyed girl was right in front him!

            "Sorry, Goku, did I scare you?" 

            "Oh.. I was really out of it!" The Saiyan laughed, quickly disposing of his after-nightmare jitters. "What's up, Videl?" 

            "I just came for today's lesson. Have a nice nap?" The girl apparently loosened, as well, smiling lightly. 

            "Fine. Bizarre dream, though. So what do you want to do today?" Goku wasn't the most experienced of teachers, but Videl was doing quite well! She could fly, although not quite so fast or so far as Goku, and she had been working on her endurance ever since. That was a start, considering they'd only been at it for a year, taking their course one month at a time. And even then, she could only come on weekends; Videl had many obligations, for a teenager. He was slightly glad to be out of the lime-light. 

            Videl opened her mouth to reply, but a loud, outraged, feminine shout interrupted; Goku felt a ki rise uncommonly high. Surprised and confused, both girl and Saiyan headed towards the source. 

            Chi-chi stood in the middle of the clearing, berating an ashamed, yet elated-looking Goten. 

            "What's the matter, Chi?" Goku interrupted cautiously, all too aware that he was treading on dangerous ground. 

            She pointed at the chibi, cheeks tinged scarlet. "This son of yours has become another… another… _oooh_!_" She was apparently too exasperated to come up with a good explanation. _

            Thick as ever, Goku did not notice his wife's flustered attitude. "What?" 

            Sighing, the woman pointed at his second son. "Oh, just do it Goten." 

            Looking slightly apprehensive, Goten curled his fists, giving a shout; immediately, a brilliant aura unfurled around him, his hair rising into golden spikes and his eyes twinkling into a bright turquoise. 

            He was only five! 

            All thoughts of strange dreams were wiped from Goku's mind.

            Videl, however, wasn't quite so surprised by the chibi's transformation. In fact, she barely noticed it. Something in the back of her mind, in the pit of her stomach, was bothering her like crazy… Rubbing an arm subconsciously, she glanced around her. 

            Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes settled upon a figure, balancing upon a spindly tree limp several feet above her. She could see nothing of the face, but she saw a flash of white and red as they turned and escaped into the forest. 

            She found that she could not tear her eyes away, as if her sight was glued to that single, swaying branch. 

            Finally regaining her senses, she shook here head to blink away the vision. _Maybe it was Piccolo? He has a white cape. Or Vegeta. They were probably just curious about Goten…She had met Piccolo a few months before. Although she tended to avoid Son on the day of the Cell Games anniversary, she had left her capsule pack there, and so she had returned to retrieve it; upon arrival, she had found the tall Namekian, deep in conversation with her Saiyan sensei. Goku, of course, noticed her and introduced her.  _

The 16-year-old glanced at the branch one last time. _What if they weren't?_

Her morose thoughts snapped as something brushed against her leg; glancing down, she discovered a feather, which rose past her on the wind, gliding gently away. How strange. What kind of bird was it from? It was split perfectly in half, part black, part white. For the life of her, she couldn't think of a bird of that coloration…

            She found Goku's eyes following the feather as well. She looked his way, but he gave her a small smile, breaking into conversation. "Do you want to learn about ki-sensing today?" 

            Videl stared back dazedly, but managed to reply, "No… I want to work on my moves a bit more…" 

As she plunged into talk of attacks, her mind wandered away._ What was that look in his eye? Why did he look… sad? _

_~*~_

_            Hmm… He's been quiet for a good hour since he got up. He must be up to something evil. _Goku blinked, reviewing the thought that had just run through his mind. _But…__ Trunks isn't over right now. What's he doing, then?_

As he entered the small room, his son didn't even look up from his immensely-occupying project at his desk by the window. Goku flinched slightly. That was where _he had… _Shut up! Don't even compare them! Goten is a person too, you idiot. How do you think he'd react if he realized each and every one of your thoughts of him were connected to his dead brother?__

Shaking off his mind's angry tone, he quietly padded over to the desk, peeking over the 6-year-old's shoulder. 

            He took in the paper's contents for a moment, before finally inquiring tentatively, "Goten… Why are you drawing the same thing over and over?" 

            The chibi froze, crayon halfway through another strange drawing. After a moment of intense thought, he finally glanced up with innocent eyes wide, replying, "I dunno. I felt like drawing 'em. I dunno why." He considered another moment. "Daddy, my stomach hurts." 

            Goku smiled, straightening. "If you're anything like me, I bet you're just hungry. And I am too! Chi-chi said breakfast was almost ready, anyhow." 

            "Yay!" The 6-year-old cried exuberantly, darting off the chair and making a beeline for the door. 

            Goku paused a moment, staring at the repeated symbol once again. In the past hour of repetition, it had begun to cover the page with a neat clarity which contrasted sharply with Goten's usual scrawl. 

            Why repeat the same letter over and over again? 

            The mocking shapes disappeared as the paper was crumpled in his hand; he quickly tossed the paper in the trash bin, noting that in his anger he had singed the sheet with energy. 

            Goku felt a presence at his side and snapped out of his daze, glancing down at his 6-year-old son. "Dad? Are you coming?" 

            "Yea. C'mon." Smiling, he gently pushed his son towards the door, giving one last glance at the lazily smoking paper. He could still imagine that strange letter, burning brighter than the dull brown of the scorched paper. Shaking away the image, he walked out with his son, who continued to babble as if nothing had happened. 

            "Dad, I had this weird dream last night… There was this little toad, and he was laughing! I didn't know toads could laugh…!" 

            The door closed, and although the Saiyan felt the wooden barrier between him and his small, scribbled adversary, he still knew that the image was burned into his mind. 

            A small 'M', curved at the edges as if in cursive, solid and cold. Why did he feel the hair standing up on the back of his neck?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Thanks for reading! Ah, 52 reviews, I can actually say I got over 50 reviews for a story… Ok, not fantastic boasting rights, but hey, it's a start! 

            Sorry it took so long to review. I'm kinda tired lately ^^; School does that to me. 

            Cookie to anyone that knows what 'Quietas in Silens' means. Then again, should I let someone try to translate my crappy Latin? --; Ignore this, then…

Okie dokie, here's a preview of Chapter 8:

            _"Welcome to the long-awaited 25th Tenkaichi Budokai!" (1)_

_            Videl peered carefully at the tall figure, flanked by the ever-ugly Yamu and Spopovitch. She hoped to catch a glance of his face, but… _

_            Goku flinched as someone bumped against his shoulder; he hadn't been expecting it, and thusly was rocked to the side. He glanced up with a slightly annoyed look for the offender, but was met by a steadily retreating back. His shoulder tingled slightly. "That was a decent fighter, to knock you over like that." Krillin commented with surprise. _

_            The Saiyan stared as the cloaked warrior- for he was, undoubtably, a contestant-disappeared into the mob. Bringing back a dazed smile, he replied, "I was hoping for some good competition."_

(1)- Please tell me I spelled that right. 

Okie dokies, on to reviewers:

**Astrozazel****- _Who's Card? Sorry you were confused. It was just a weird little flash that Goku has. He's weird like that. Oooh cool, I'm really glad you liked those! I changed them, because I thought they sounded stupid at first. Happiness! As always, you are a fantastic reviewer ^^ I should take notes or somethin'… _**

**DBZ Chick1- **_She's still in there. And yup, there may be an encore *mysterious look* Ha, am I really fooling anybody?_

**Shea**** Loner- _Coolness.__ ...Um… What else can I say? Gracias?_**

**SSJ5Tigger- **_School work is evil. Take it from me. Thank my teachers for this delayed update, by the way. *glare* Stupid geometry homework…_

**Smfandonja****- _Goku hit his head a few too many times. You'll have to see about Gohan next chapter, I guess? _**

**Simba-rulz****- _Yea, Gohan-kun was here, for five seconds o.O Niftiness! I'm on someone's favorite author's list? Wow!_**

**Cold Paws- **_Thank you ^^ I liked that review, short, concise, and to the point. Videl is kinda interesting to characterize. I fear I'll screw it up, but that's just tough. _

**Gohansfav1- **_Thankies__! You said please, too! _

**Adrienne D- **_I'm gonna combine the 2 reviews, rather than write 2. Man, I keep getting that feeling, too! It's a creepy epidemic of crappy writing. Sigh. Thank you, thank you, thank you ^^ This is the type of review that keeps me writing- that and music o.O. On to the second review…I don't mind, I myself rarely get off my butt and write a review! I might explain the demon lady in a huge, long, Kai-spoken explanation later. That'll be fun to write (I hate long dialogues, let me tell you now). I really don't think anyone can be as flat as Goku appears to be… Oh man, must keep out of that rant. I mention that far, far into the story. School doesn't ruin me (I hope) but it sure drains my brain for the week. Oooh, white chocolate macadamia? My favorite! Thankies for the great reviews- they made my day ^^ That and the idea of white chocolate macadamia cookies. Teehee. _

**Ooshii**** Kurai- _I realize that, when making a point of how hard it was to spell your name last chapter, I misspelled your name. I got a kick out of that later ^^ Sorry the update took so long…The evil homework demons were holding me at bay. _**

**Gohans**** Chick- _Thanks ^^ Can't think of anything else to say…_**

**Aleandra**** Alyra Sarienna- _Hey, it's more fun to write out your name, it's so long and elegant! Where'd it come from? I liked the new chapter. Twas cool. _**

**Kirbmasterx****- _You have long reviews. Wow, that's a lot of people. Thanks…? _**

**Angel wings's- **_Yay_! Another one likes! I so happy!__

**Alex Ultra- **_Woot__! Alex is back! Hehe Video games are an addictively evil thing. I know ^^ I'm glad you approve Videl. I was worried about that. Change is a powerful thing… Especially when I'm the authoress. *Evil laugh* I'm just happy your back, don't mind your being gone, I was gone quite a bit this summer too (though not often enough for my liking, but oh well.) _

Wow. I had a lot of reviews. I think that was longer than the actual chapter o.O Anyways, now that that's over, I can go start my evil geometry homework. Con-SARN it… Hehe, read too much Dave Barry today. Formulas… Overtaking mind… *sigh* Hope you liked the chapter, see ya!


	8. The Majin Jairai

Hiya!

            Oh my god… Is it true? Shadowphoenix _actually_ got around to updating Kokuhaku? ^^ Sorry it's been so long, guys. I got sidetracked… And then sidetracked some more. Like I said in Serendipity, blame Hurricane Isabel. Bad Isabel! Bad!

            Disclaimer: I no own. Me not creative enough to think up a decent disclaimer, let alone DBZ…

            Last time on Kokuhaku!

            _"Fool! Damn it, you weak fool!_" __

_            Silence ensued; that is, except for one sound. Drip. Drip… Drip…_

_Why was he crying?_

_A flicker ran through the smooth, scarlet surface- flame engulfed it, glass and all, leaping at him with a frenzied voracity, heat pressing upon his face…_

_            Goku sat up with a jolt. The viscous fire had disappeared, replaced with flickering blades of grass, speckled with sunshine. _

_            Oh. He was awake. _

_A small 'M', curved at the edges as if in cursive, solid and cold. Why did he feel the hair standing up on the back of his neck?_

And now, bumbumbum, Chapter 8! I couldn't find a good quote for this one. It was driving me nuts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 8

The Majin Jairai

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**"Gravedigger, when you dig my grave**

**Could you make it shallow, so that I can feel the rain…?"**

**~Gravedigger, Dave Matthews Band**

"Welcome to the long-awaited 25TH Tenkaichi Budokai!" A voice boomed over the intercom, drawing slight attention from the huge crowds. "For those who have just arrived, the junior division will begin in a half-hour. Sign-ups are at the front desk…" 

"Oh… Where is he?" 18-year-old Videl pushed through the teeming crowds, resisting the urge to jump into the air just to avoid the hustle and bustle. But she didn't want to show her ability yet; she wanted to surprise everyone, when the time came, not waste it on her impatient nature! 

            But that impatient nature was about to drive her crazy; she felt like her head was about to explode if she didn't kick someone… Finally, she reached her destination. Out of breath from holding back, she glanced up at the Saiyan, managing to murmur a hello. 

            Son Goku replied with a grin, accompanied by a, "Hiya, Videl! Long time no see!" As usual, the cheerful man was not in the least bit perturbed, even by the endless sea of pushy people; this, of course, worsened Videl's thirst to lash out. 

            Ignoring her own silent outcries, she put on a fake smile. "Yea! Is Goten here?" 

            "Yep, he's signing up with Trunks. I'm waitin' for my friends, actually." 

            "Really? I haven't seen them since that picnic..." The girl shuddered slightly with that; the sight of watching Vegeta _and _Goku eating at the same time was still disturbing. Not to mention Goten and Trunks! Getting back to her talk, she continued, "Well, besides Vegeta, but I could do without any encounter with that guy…" She laughed, glancing over to see the two chibis and grumpy Prince mentioned. 

            "Yea, but he's really a nice guy. Little rough around the edges… but nice. Man, Goten was bouncing off the walls the last couple days, this being his first tournament and all…" 

            Suddenly, speak of the devil, Goten appeared beside them with a pout crossing his face. "Da-ad, they made us sign up with the _junior _division." 

            "Yea, we don't get to fight my dad!" Trunks added, an equally large pout-face visible on his features. 

            Videl smiled, although she found herself eyeing the crowds around her rather than listening in. They were thinning out as the sign-up time ended and placing began. In fact, most everyone was gone. 

            Suddenly a very _strong someone bumped into her shoulder, practically bowling her over. Surprised, she glanced up to find a tall, heavily-cloaked figure. She could barely make out the person's features through the dark violet cloth he/she was decked in. Judging by their posture, she assumed they were male, and he was almost taller than Goku. _

            Videl peered carefully at the man, hoping to catch a glimpse of his features; she was disappointed, as she saw nothing. His head was turned away. Two pale men, one shorter than her and one huge and bulking, flanked him with perpetual glares crossing their face. 

            Funny, Videl thought, the way they walked, it was as if he was a prisoner or something. 

            Just before they disappeared from sight, the man tossed a glance back, and Videl was elated to catch a glimpse of his eyes; she froze, however, at the sight. His eyes were pure onyx, without a glimmer of emotion passing through. The mere glance chilled her to the bone. 

Mere seconds before Videl's brush, Goku flinched as well when that same someone brushed against his shoulder; he hadn't been expecting it, and thusly was rocked to the side. He glanced up with a slightly annoyed look for the offender, but was met by a steadily retreating back. His shoulder tingled slightly. "That was a decent fighter, to knock you over like that." Krillin commented with surprise. 

           The Saiyan stared as the cloaked warrior- for he was, undoubtedly, a contestant-disappeared into the mob. Bringing back a dazed smile, he replied, "I was hoping for some good competition." Moment of reflection over, he turned back to his friends.

"Videl, yoohoo!" With his ever-perfect timing, Goku broke her from her trance; dazed, she turned to face her friend. 

Goku indicated the group of people which had appeared before them. It included Krillin, 18, Marron, and Piccolo, although the latter was leaning against a wall a few feet away. Obviously, Chi-chi and the scientist Bulma had already departed on some fiendish adventure. Perhaps shopping for frying pans… Videl shuddered at that thought... Chi-chi was disturbing with a frying pan. Flat out scary!

            "Uh, hi!" She greeted nervously. For a second, she questioned how the heck she had come to know these bizarre people. But then again, it was better than listening to Erasa or her father all the time…

            Krillin interrupted her thoughts this time, stating, "Well, we better go sign up and get our placements; don't wanna miss Goten and Trunks's matches, do we?" 

            Feeling too much like an obedient puppy, Videl tailed the strange group. Anything to avoid Sharpener, Erasa, and her father's publicity. 

~*~

            Goku felt his eyes drawn to the strange trio that had brushed past. All had low ki… But if he could suppress his, they could do the same. What was with that 'M' mark on their head?

            He could've sworn he'd seen that before… He had that itching feeling tingling his senses, like there was something there that he should be realizing. Sighing in defeat, he turned to doggedly follow his family and friends. 

~*~

            "Oooh! I wanted to see their match!" Videl fumed, tapping her foot against the tiled floor; she gave no heed as to whether or not the people around her cared if she voiced her thoughts. "Stupid Vegeta! Why'd he have to go and destroy the machine? I'm not gonna win anyway, might as well see whether Goten wins. Trunks'll probably trick him or something…" 

            Feeling a gaze on her back, she twisted around, prepared to tell off whoever had the gall to stare… She was surprised to find, yet again, the mysterious cloaked figure. Struggling to find a reason for her glare, she turned to the unhealthily pale-skinned men behind him. "Hey, you're Yamu and Spopovitch, aren't you?" A few moments after their first encounter, she had recognized the pair. They were _quite_ different, but the way they held themselves as they walked was definitely the same. Arrogant stupidity.

            "Yea, what's it to you?" Spopovitch replied in the baritone, low-IQ tone which Videl would expect from the muscle-head. 

            "Nothin'. Just making sure. So, did you get a makeover? You've gotten uglier since my dad beat you." Videl couldn't help it; the two had always creeped her out. 

            "Listen here, missy..!" The bald man shouted, spittle joining his speech. Videl cringed as one droplet came very close to colliding with her face; she managed to dodge it.

            "Oh, don't worry, Mr. Spopovitch, maybe if you're lucky they'll put you into the Junior Division to avoid embarrassment." 

            Spopovitch didn't respond, obviously thinking over a comeback; Videl could hear the rusty gears clinking in his head. Oi. 

            Unable to resist, she glanced at the cloaked fighter. His eyes were still the cold charcoal of before, but they now held a tinge of curiosity as he glanced down at her. Smiling in satisfaction, she turned away once more. The line was still long; but at least now, she could amuse herself by counting how long it took for Spopovitch to dig up a response. 

~*~

            "1,102… 1,103…" Videl feared her breath would give out; she had taken up counting the tiles on the arena floor, which wasn't easy considering people's feet were in the way; she had restarted counting at least 4 times. And yet, she still awaited a response from Spopovitch. And a movement in the line. 

            Lo and behold, miracles of miracles, the line had moved; whaddya know, she was up!

            Knowing she was bound to be placed, she tossed a half-hearted punch at the newly-replaced machine; sure enough, she got 200, higher than her father's! 

            Satisfied, Videl strutted off stage, holding back the urge to break into a run; after all, she had a reputation to uphold. Couldn't be racing off to see the junior division. One final thought struck in her mind, however; turning around for a second, she observed as the mysterious cloaked fighter stepped up to the machine. 

            Yamu leaned forward, whispering something in the man's ear; Videl could see him tense up at whatever the short fighter had murmured. The strangest thing that she noticed, however, was that Yamu brushed a hand against the man's wrist, and then quickly pulled away. If not for her tuned eyesight, she might have missed the slight movement. 

            The cloaked fighter sighed, and then tapped the machine, much like Goku had done. Automatically, a score of over 900 ran up on the screen; the nearest monk sighed, saying, "Is it broken again?" 

            "You want him to test it again?" Spopovitch growled, undoubtedly the brightest threat he could think of.

            The monks sweatdropped, shaking their heads. "I think we've had enough of that for one day. You pass." 

            After Spopovitch and Yamu had taken turns at punching, and passed to Videl's annoyance, the trio walked her way. Yet again, she noticed the strange formation. Always Yamu and Spopovitch flanking, as if they were afraid the masked fighter would bolt.  

            "So, Spopovitch, come up with a comeback yet?" She gloated, sneaking up behind the warriors' backs. 

            "Girl, if you don't go away…" Yamu snarled, glaring down upon her. 

            She paid no heed, continuing, "So, what's with your solitary friend? You treat him like a herded cow." 

            "That's none of your business, brat." Spopovitch snapped, pushing his cargo forward as they quickened their pace; as if_ that_ would deter Satan Videl. 

            But she decided she had tired of bugging the pair, although she couldn't resist a passing remark; turning to head towards the stands, she called, "By the way, I like the 'M' tattoos. What do they stand for, 'Mommy?'" 

            This snapped Spopovitch's last nerve; twisting, he prepared to toss a punch at the 18-year-old, but Yamu held him back with ease. Videl listened intently to what the shorter man whispered into Spopovitch's ear: "Idiot! You want our prize to run away? Master would kill us both for any slip-up! Control your temper!" 

            "Alright, Yamu." He whispered in return, before standing tall and glaring at the girl. "Watch it, brat, cuz if I get a fight with you, I'll pound you into the ground." 

            "Oooh, scary, go run back to Mommy now." Videl taunted, turning away. She couldn't avoid a triumphant swing of her hips as she departed. 

            She failed to notice a shorter being standing off to the side, alabaster hair spiked in a wavy version of a Mohawk. His raven eyes narrowed as he glanced after the trio of warriors. Sighing in some foreign sadness, he stepped away. 

~*~

            "Good, Goten!" Goku encouraged, observing the boy's determinedness as he faced off against his best friend. 

            Piccolo, standing beside him in his usual formal stance, didn't observe the fight. Goku had been curious as to why the Namekian had been on edge all day; however, he didn't question, as that was prone to making the alien all the more uncomfortable. Instead, he waited for Piccolo to announce his troubles himself. Sure enough, he murmured, "Goku… I've had a strange feeling all day. Like there's someone here, nearby, someone I know… but I can't pinpoint them. Like… a ghost, or something." 

            "Maybe you're just nervous about the fight, Piccolo?" Goku supplied. 

            "No…" Piccolo glanced at the fight occurring below. He spoke no further.

            Goku cast a strange look upon the Namekian. But, despite his confusion, the words struck a tone in his heart… It was strange, but he knew exactly what Piccolo meant. 

~*~

(A/N: This is after Videl's match, which was first after the junior division- Trunks won that, just like in the series. She fought one of the filler fighters (Jewel and that other guy in the tv show) and won, obviously ^^)   

Videl detoured her way through the winding halls, dodging paparazzi left and right. _Geez__, one measly fight and they're all over me! She grumbled.__ I hate being a Satan, never a moment's peace… Well, as soon as the hubbub dies down, I'll go see 18's match. Krillin said she's really good…_

She found she had reached a courtyard, framed with neatly pruned flowers and bushes. All and all, it was a silent, calm getaway. Sighing in relief, she was about to escape into the miniature Eden when a whisper of voices reached her ears. Blushing with frustration, she pulled back, glancing around the corner with distaste. 

            _Geez__, the guy's everywhere! Videl growled, for, sure enough, the cloaked fighter was sitting on a bench in the garden as Spopovitch and Yamu conversed avidly several feet away. She wondered slightly what about, but quickly decided it wasn't worth knowing. _

            Instead, she watched the shrouded figure. He sat alone, rigid, in a polite manner that was rarely seen. Videl was surprised to see that a lone chickadee was perched upon the fighter's hand, chirping happily as it cocked its head at its perch. Somehow, Videl knew a smile played across his lips, although it was covered in the navy material. 

            He raised his hand, allowing the bird to flutter away. It gave a farewell tweet before disappearing over the stone wall. 

            _Wow… He seems like a really lonely guy. But he must be really gentle, to attract a bird… Why, the only person I've seen do that is Goku, and man- anyone as naïve as Son Goku deserves a medal…_ Shaking her head in empathy, she glanced up once more. The fighter's gaze was still wavering on where the bird had disappeared. Suddenly his fleeting glance shifted, leveling on Videl's face with a calm, gentle light that contrasted sharply with the icy ebony of before. Embarrassed at her discovery, she pulled away, blushing furiously. 

            _He_ _seemed so… human just then. Who is that guy?_ She shook her head in an attempt to collect her garbled thoughts. _Aah__! I'm gonna miss 18's match!  _

~*~

            "Way to go, 18!" Videl couldn't control her excitement as she watched the fight finished, with the android victorious. The blonde pretty-boy she had faced off with hadn't stood a chance. 

            "Wow, and an amazing victory goes to the lovely 18! And the next fight, Kabito versus Jairai!" The blonde, ever-young announcer proclaimed, raising his arms into the air for effect.

            Vegeta's ears seemed to perk at the announcement, finally pulling away from his solitary position against the wall. 

            "What is it, Vegeta?" Goku inquired curiously, noting his friend's response. 

            "That name…" Vegeta murmured, eyeing the arena. 

            "What?" 

            "It's Saiyan for 'puppet', if I remember correctly." The Prince murmured, eyes narrowed in suspicion. 

            "Hey… You're right! I thought it sounded familiar…" Goku commented. 

            To the Z warriors' surprise, the mysterious Shin was who spoke up next. "Then my assumption was correct." 

            Turning to his taller (much taller) companion, he murmured, "Kabito, you know what to do." 

            Videl glanced back, eyebrow raised in confusion. "Guys, what's going on?" 

            "Judging by your good natures, I feel I must say this. If anything strange occurs in the next match, you must not interfere." 

            "Is something bad going to happen to your partner or something?" Goku asked curiously. 

            "No. No harm will come to Kabito. Let's just say… the cloaked warrior's pseudonym is Jairai for a reason." 

            The group grew silent as the named warrior passed through, his usual frigid emotion visible in his eyes as he brushed past. Kabito followed, eyeing his opponent with a strangely forlorn expression. 

            All eyes were drawn to the arena as the match began. 

~*~

Cool… Finished. o.O That was long! Preview of next chapter…

_"There's no time to explain- just be cautious." _

_            "Of course." Goku nodded, turning away. A murmur of encouragements passed as he stepped into the sunlit arena. _

_A strange luminosity gleamed within Jairai's eyes, and his voice grew louder, if not more somber. "I will do as you ask. All I can say is… I'm sorry."_

_He felt nothing as his kneecaps collided with the arena floor with a dull thud; nor did he feel the jarring impact as his hands slapped against the tile to avoid a complete fall. _

_            All he felt was… numb._

Oooh… Premonitions ^^ I think I have a good quote for next chapter! Thank goodness --; 

I'm lazy today. On to the reviews!

**Simba-rulz****- _Aw, well, Gohan wasn't in this chapter… we don't think. --; Am I fooling anyone anymore?_**

**SSJ5Tigger- **_Pencils are very dangerous things. NOTE TO __AL__L! DO NOT MESS WITH PENCILS! They are sharp o.O Yea, I tried not to confuse, and yet to confuse at the same time. My goal in life: to confuse every single person on FF.net. And yet not confuse. Are you confused? I'm confused. I'll shut up now._

**Adrienne D- **_You're such a good reviewer ^^ You, and Alex Ultra, and Astrozazel- I love reading these ^^ Sorry it took so long to update, though. I think the entire world was working against me. --; I still hate Geometry ^^; But at least I'm only in Freshmen year, unlike the few Juniors in my class. I know a freshmen who's in Algebra 2/Trig. That's… scary. _

**KMX- **_o.O_ That was a looong review. How come Dr. Mario doesn't add an –a onto everything he says? LOL Sheik is the best. Go Sheik. Hey, Sheik can kick people, who needs swords? __

**Gohansfav1- **_A little caps-happy there, weren't we? Sorry it took so long to update, again. _

**Not Bad!!- **_Well… Thank you. 6 word review. Interesting. _

**Astrozazel****- _And__ then there's the 6 PARAGRAPH review. ^^ Of course Gohan ties in. This is MY story, after all ^^ I can't just kill off Gohan and __nev__er bring him back! That would be evil. I mean, it'd be boring without someone to torture… I believe I've heard of Orson Scott Card, now that I think of it. My brother has read the Ender and Shadow sagas. I __nev__er really was all that into sci-fis like that… Don't worry about forgetting about her. She's not important. Oh crud ^^ It's too late to do that now, isn't it? I had a slight innuendo with Goku. But she wasn't in it. I seem to… uh… disclude Piccolo a lot. I have a bad habit of that. Maybe I'm subconsciously afraid I'll screw up his character if I write him too much o.O I like Goku, but not just for the hero thing. I like to hold up his reputation for NOT being a complete nitwit. Your hopes are accurate, I believe ^^ I still like that ending phrase. I need to make up one… *ponder, ponder*_**

**Ooshii**** Kurai- _*Stares at name* Did I spell it right? Yay! I hope I did. Yami commands homework demons? *glances nervously at Shonen Jump magazines* Hmm… Well, was this chapter longer? I could've cut it off really short, but I decided not to. Lol, Yugi sounds like Quatre from Gundam Wing. *Middle of war: "Can't we just be friends?"* Hehe. Chibi-spray, huh? I bet Gohan likes that. _**

**DBZ Chick1- **_Hey, you beat the other guy. 3 words! And that's counting the name. Huh. Weird. _

**Aleandra**** Alyra Sarienna- _I reviewed! I reviewed! Mwahaha. That's an interesting way to get a name. I don't know where I got my name. I like __Phoenix__. And the idea of a shadow-firebird is… weird. ^^ I'll figure out how to draw one someday. _**

**Smfandonja****- _Kokuhaku__ means black and white, good and bad. Yin and yang. _**

**Hannah- **_Well, according to King Kai, if you are killed in Heaven, you… well… disappear. I think they said that somewhere in the Buu saga, too, when Buu was on the planet with Yamcha and co. _

**Gohanzgirl****- _^^ Gohan will return, I promise. You can't get rid of him in MY stories. Teehee. _**

**Anime-crazed 33- **_Am I writing more!? Egads! This story is going to go on a long time buddy, let me tell ya. I haven't written a quarter of it yet. Gohan will play a major role. And he's everything but a scaredy cat ^^ _

**Alex Ultra- **_Wow, have I made that choice many times. And you know what? Fanfiction usually wins ^^ I have reviewers like that too. On Serendipity, especially. Perhaps for this if people could review twice o.O Don't kill Purple Ninja Monkeys! Wait, do. I like wambo pickles better ^^ I try to keep it up. But I usually *trip* it up and take forever to update. Go me!_

            *Woo* If I ever get more than those reviews per chapter, I'll be in trouble o.O My review responses would be longer than my story! Geez! Special thanks to Astrozazel for kindly beta-ing my chapter this time around ^^ You did a wonderful, wonderful job. Egads. First-draft Serendipity was scary. Thanks to all who reviewed (and read but were too lazy to review- I know the feeling) and also to Astrozazel! Alrighties, I'll go get this up so I can go… um… Do something *blink* Ahem… Anyways, adios! __


	9. Familiaris Peregrinus

Hiya!

Disclaimer: I no own DBZ, or William Blake!

            Well, I finally got it up. Sorry for the delay. High school has induced chronic laziness in me. To recap last chapter…

Last time, on Kokuhaku!

_"Welcome to the long-awaited 25TH Tenkaichi Budokai!"_

_The Saiyan stared as the cloaked warrior- for he was, undoubtedly, a contestant-disappeared into the mob. Bringing back a dazed smile, he replied, "I was hoping for some good competition."_

_"Wow, and an amazing victory goes to the lovely 18! And the next fight, Kabito versus Jairai!" The blonde, ever-young announcer proclaimed, raising his arms into the air for effect._

_"That name… It's Saiyan for 'puppet.' I'm sure of it."_

_"No harm will come to Kabito. Let's just say… the cloaked warrior's pseudonym is Jairai for a reason."_

_The group grew silent as the named warrior passed through, his usual frigid emotion visible in his eyes as he brushed past. Kabito followed, eyeing his opponent with a strangely forlorn expression. _

_All eyes were drawn to the arena as the match began. _

The title of this chapter literally means "Familiar stranger." Urg.  I need to brush up on my Latin. 

Oh, oh! Must comment! The quote in here is so perfect that it's scary ^^ You'll see why in the future. It's a foreshadowing kind of thing. Sorry, I just was so glad I found this quote… Go William Blake!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 9

Familiaris Peregrinus ****

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"This life's dim windows of the soul   
Distorts the heavens from pole to pole   
And leads you to believe a lie   
When you see with, not through, the eye."   
****-_William Blake_**

As the two fighters faced off, conversing too softly for any of them to hear, uneasy talk broke out within the sidelines. "So how does he know Saiyan? Is he…" 

            "Possibly. Anyone with Saiyan blood is fully aware of their native language at birth, whether they are half or full blooded. Either that, or he learned it by some other means; at the very least, someone supplied the name for him… maybe he is completely ignorant of its meaning." Vegeta interrupted, never breaking his gaze from the arena. 

            Krillin was not so faithful, as he continually glanced from the match to the Saiyan. "So who could he be? I thought the only Saiyans left were you, Goku, Goten, and Trunks… oh, and…" 

            "Impossible. He's gone." Piccolo interjected icily, earning a questioning glance from Shin. 

            The mood became more somber as the Z fighters looked to the ground. Videl and Shin stood in uncomfortable silence. 

            Suddenly a roar of protest from the crowd gained everyone's attention, followed by an announcement of, "Well, it seems Kabito is forfeiting this match. What a shame! Well, Jairai, I guess you can stay up there, as the next-" The announcer broke his speech with a suspicious cough, which could be heard to cover up a mutter of, 'Hopefully more exciting.'-"match is yours as well. We are now starting into the second rounds! Would Son Goku please step up?" (1)

            The Saiyan made a move to approach the arena, curiosity and slight apprehension swirling in the depths of his stomach. Before he could escape, however, he felt a cool hand on his wrist; twisting, he faced Shin. The pale-skinned being murmured, "This is over your head, Goku. I'm not certain what they'll pull, but watch your back and be prepared." 

            His apprehension grew. "What're you expecting to…" 

            "There's no time to explain- just be cautious." 

            "Of course." Goku nodded, turning away. A murmur of encouragements passed as he stepped into the sunlit arena. 

            The Saiyan placed his natural confidence in his step, hoping he _looked more confident than he felt; after all, he was being warned about something, yet he had no clue what! At least he had an unpredictable fight to look forward to. _

            "Oh, -oof- good –owch-, Goku! And let the match begin! –Hey, that was hard!-" The announcer was constantly interrupted as articles of food (among other things) collided with his body. 

            Judging by the catcalls, Goku surmised that the crowd was itching for a fight; cracking his knuckles with a determined smirk, he hoped he could deliver. 

            He bounded up the marble steps, soon coming face to face with the mysterious 'puppet.' The Saiyan was slightly pleased to realize he was eye-level with Jairai- too tall, and the warrior might get cocky, and shorter people tended to have fiery attitudes (like certain Princes…) which could get aggravating. Generally, if they were even height-wise, they tended to be more even-headed as well.  

            Deciding to test out Vegeta's theory, he stated in perfect Saiyan, "Hello, puppet. Did you pick that name yourself? What's your real name, huh?" 

            A gleam of curiosity lit Jairai's eyes once more. Sure enough, he responded in Saiyan rivaling Vegeta's. "Yes, yet no. You can determine my true name for yourself." Jairai's voice was icily cold, and Goku could find no familiarity or emotion embedded within it… 

            "Gah, talking in riddles! I may speak 2 different languages, but I'm not a genius ya know!" Goku exclaimed, but quickly regained his composure. "Well, if you aren't going to tell me your real name, will you at least take off your cloak?"

            On the sidelines, Piccolo's cheeks were tinged crimson as he spat, "Stupid Saiyan language! I can't understand what they're saying!" 

            "I can. I'll tell you later." Vegeta murmured, listening intently. 

            Meanwhile, the crowd sat in bewildered silence as the announcer stammered, "Uh… They seem to be speaking in a different language. French, or Spanish, or something…?" (2)

            Goku heard this comment with bemusement, and couldn't prevent laughing out loud. However, Bulma, Chi-chi, and co., who were sitting in the grandstands, were just as baffled. "Bulma? Do you know what they're speaking in?" 

            "I dunno. I can't really hear much of anything from here; but I didn't know Goku spoke any foreign languages!" 

            "I think I heard Vegeta and him shouting in some weird language once, it sounded like a mix between Spanish and French…" 

            "It was probably in Saiyan. Vegeta mentioned that anyone with Saiyan blood can speak it, so maybe that masked fighter is Saiyan?" 

            "Huh. I dunno how! I mean… Who else are Saiyan, besides Goku and Vegeta and the boys?" 

            The genius merely shrugged in response. 

            Back in the arena, Jairai finally chose to reply. However, he didn't answer Goku's question (much to the Saiyan's annoyance). Instead, he whispered, "They will come any moment. I don't really care. Damn him…" Goku had to strain to hear the man's words; he just barely managed to make them out. 

            Jairai's glance flickered ever so slightly over Goku's shoulder, and then returning. Curious, Goku followed the gaze, to see only a shadowed corner. His sharp Saiyan eyes, however, detected a slight movement; two some-ones were hiding within the shadows, but he couldn't tell who they were, as their ki was pressed down. He returned his gaze to his opponent. 

            A strange luminosity gleamed within Jairai's eyes, and in an almost inaudible tone, he murmured, "So you named him Goten…?" 

            "Huh? Wha-…" 

            Before Goku could push his confusion, the cloaked fighter raised his voice, stating in clear Saiyan, "I will do as you ask. All I can say is… I'm sorry…" 

            A sudden familiarity struck in Goku's mind. He couldn't quite identify it, but it left his heart fluttering…

            On the sidelines, Vegeta was speechless. Through the thick Saiyan language, he could barely tell, but… He could've sworn…

            All attention was drawn back to Goku's opponent as Jairai gave a sudden roar, tossing his head back as he let out a tremendous surge of energy. His ki alone ripped the marble tiles from their resting places, causing them to hover a good five feet off the ground. Electricity licked through the air in sharp bolts, and Goku found himself struggling to remain upright against the tremendous energy; in fact, he feared the tiles beneath his feet might give way, as the pressure of his feet upon them continued to grow. 

            The cloak shrouding Jairai's form was yanked away, floating lazily to the ground several meters away. It revealed a lean figure, that of a well-toned warrior, and a brilliant white gi similar to Goku's in style; it was held by a navy-blue belt around his waist, and the upper half's cloth seemed to center upon a glimmering, blood-red ruby. His face was hidden from Goku, however, since his head was tossed back. A golden aura burst around his opposition as his ki continually rose. The electricity flared through the air with renewed intensity, and the Saiyan was forced to throw up an arm to shield his eyes as Jairai's energy reached a painfully intense white, sending most of the audience tumbling backwards. The tile beneath Goku's feet finally gave way with a crack; the Saiyan barely noticed, but merely took advantage of the new foothold. 

            The blinding light died away and Goku lowered his arms; he reprimanded himself for the brief moment of weakness. But for that, he reprimanded himself for sounding like Vegeta. Giving up, he decided to open his eyes. An irregular clink-clink told him that the tiles were slowly falling back into place, much more weathered than they were seconds before. 

            As he had slightly suspected, the warrior before him was indeed a Super Saiyan. Level 2, even. The regular swoosh-swoosh of his aura and the crackle of electricity was enough to clue him in. 

            His eyes gradually drifted down to view the newly-revealed face…

            On the sidelines, Videl blinked, staring at the golden warrior. "Is he one of the golden fighters from the Cell Games? Wow, he's powerful…" _But that's impossible. I know all of the golden fighters! It couldn't be that Mirai kid Goku mentioned…?_

            She glanced over her shoulder in hope of gaining a response, but every single one of her companions had their eyes trained on the arena, the only movement being an occasional blink- they didn't even breathe. 

            She glanced to Kabito for help, but he merely shrugged. 

            "Well… We may have more trouble than we thought." Shin murmured. 

            Goku gave no heed as all feeling in his body drained away. All he felt was a burning at the back of his mind, and within his heart. 

            A single word passed from his lips as his eyes remained transfixed upon the warrior's face. "G…Gohan?" 

            In the grandstands, a certain raven-haired housewife promptly passed out. 

            "Goten, who is that? Your dad looks like he's scared of him." Trunks muttered, enjoying the view from his top half of their newly-acquired disguise. 

            The chibi taking up the lower portion blinked in surprise, replying, "I dunno. He looks kinda familiar… like…" Realization suddenly struck, and Goten happily exclaimed, "Trunks! That's my brother! That's Gohan!" 

            "Brother!? No fair! Your brother is stronger than my dad!!! How come I don't have a brother!?" Trunks pouted, crossing his arms.

            "Wooow! I've got a brother!" 

            "Goten… If he's your brother, why is he fighting your dad?" 

            "Uuuh… I dunno…?" 

            Goku stared with unwavering awe at his long-dead son; he wasn't sure if he was looking for a halo, or wondering how Gohan had obtained such a large amount of power. At the moment, he was strong enough to defeat Cell at least 30 times over. And he could tell that there was much, much more potential beneath his son's displayed power. 

            "You mean- that's Goku's son? _That's Gohan!?" Videl cried, turning to the still shell-shocked Vegeta. _

            Shin couldn't avoid unmasking his nervousness, as sweat collected in drops upon his forehead. "Damn… This is getting much too complicated…" 

            "Gohan… What're you doing here…? How…?" Goku managed to choke, regaining the senses in his body. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to hug the teen, or give in to the foreboding feeling in his gut. 

            The 18-year-old demi-Saiyan studied the Saiyan before him with arctic sky-blue eyes befitting of a man twice his age. Instead of replying, however, he glanced away, an echo of pain and sorrow shadowing his eyes; it was soon replaced by cold indifference. 

            Goku froze as he became aware of two ki at his back; twisting around, he prepared to face the intruders, but a sudden numbness seized his limbs. 

            Shocked, he tried to move his leg- no reaction. Arm? Nope. Blink?…Yes! But that was about it…

            He could only stare in horror as Yamu and Spopovitch descended upon his son. 

            "Here we go." Shin muttered grimly as the two fighters abandoned their hiding place. With a short yell, the being tossed his hands forward, thin indigo tracing his body. An identical sheen gleamed around Goku, and he seemed to straighten, a look of surprise and mixed anger flickering in the Saiyan's eyes. 

            "What'd you do!?" Krillin cried, looking on in horror. "What's going on!?" 

            Unable to move, Goku thought desperately, 'Gohan, fight back! What're you doing!?'

            Sure enough, the demi-Saiyan simply stood there, eyeing the newly arrived assailants with cold ire. Spopovitch latched onto Gohan with a headlock, whilst Yamu plunged a strange device into the demi-Saiyan's side; Gohan was visibly struggling to remain silent as sweat poured down his forehead, but he lost the battle as an elongated yell of pain escaped his mouth, causing all within range to cringe. 

            "What're you doing!? Let Goku go! They're killing Gohan!" Krillin shouted at the pale-skinned being. Gaining no response, the human darted forward, but Piccolo snatched his shirt before he could escape. The sable-haired human glanced up at his companion, confusion and anger intermingling upon his face. Upon seeing Piccolo's face, however, he glanced to the ground in frustration, anger visible in his features. The Namekian was clearly struggling to restrain himself, as well.

            "What're they doing to him!?" Videl cried, racing forward as well. It wasn't Piccolo that grabbed her this time; it was Vegeta. 

            The 18-year-old glanced back at the Saiyan, close to tears. "Vegeta…" 

            "Wait. You think Kakkarot's feeling any better than you, standing up there watching his son being tortured? For some reason none of us know?" He glanced at Shin, obviously struggling to control his own independent nature. "Hopefully the Supreme Kai will supply a grand reason." 

            "You knew, Vegeta?" Piccolo murmured in surprise. 

            "Of course, you fool. I'm not a complete moron." Vegeta snorted, dropping his hold on Videl. 

            "I will explain everything. Right now, I'm trying to keep an extremely strong Saiyan at bay, and it is_ not_ easy." The Supreme Kai snapped through clenched teeth; his struggle was apparent as sweat poured down his face. 

            The fighters were forced to shield their eyes as the energy being drained from the demi-Saiyan reached a blinding peak. Just as quickly, the light died away, and Goku once again mentally smacked himself for being weak. To his dismay, however, he was still paralyzed. It hadn't stalled during the flash. 

            Gohan's outcries faded with the light, and as Goku's eyes focused he found that his son was limp within Spopovitch's hold. 

            Videl slowly opened her eyes, cringing in preparation for a blinding light; but the suspected glare didn't occur and she dropped her defenses, opening her eyes fully and feeling slightly foolish. 

            Gohan was obviously unconscious, still held within the gorilla's arms. But the emotion reflecting within his sable eyes caused a faint ache to kindle within Videl's chest. 

             It wasn't a frigid iciness, shielding his inner thoughts; nor was it that look of gentleness and humanity that she had seen within the courtyard; instead, it was a sad, tired expression, that of a man of at least 100- not an 18-year-old boy. 

            Shuddering, Videl realized that the two warriors had left. Gohan was gone. 

            Goku, meanwhile, watched with dismay as his son was taken away from him once again. Pain wreaked havoc within his heart as he reflected upon the aged orbs of Gohan's eyes… They were not the gentle, laughing eyes he recalled. 

            Just as his son's ki disappeared from the arena, the strange power holding his limbs lifted, and he found himself falling to his knees limply. 

            He felt nothing as his kneecaps collided with the arena floor with a dull thud; nor did he feel the jarring impact as his hands slapped against the tile to avoid a complete fall. 

            All he felt was… numb. His mind had drawn a blank; his nerves had stopped functioning. All he could feel, all he could hear, was his heart beating a cruel tattoo against his eardrums as cold sweat rolled down his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(1)- I know, usually they'd alternate fighters (as in Jairai would switch out for a breather), but for some _mysterious reason the judges decided against it this round. As Samwise would say, "Plot device, Mr. Frodo. Plot device."_

(2)- There aren't nationalities of France and Spain in the DB world, so I'm not quite sure that their language would be there, either. *shrugs*

I forgot to put the "Finis chapter" on last time. Bad me. 

            Hopefully I caught all extraneous mistakes? Well, if I didn't… tough. I liked this chapter ^^ So, now you know! Gohan is back! Mwahahaha… As to his relationship with the Majin, we'll just have to figure that out, won't we? I hope to update sometime next week. Friday, Saturday perhaps. No! My high school lost a football game last night! We are no longer undefeated! Rather stinks. We could've been number 1 in the region. Now we're tied with another school for first. Well, we'll kick butt anyways ^^ Alright, I'll shut up now. Next time, on Kokuhaku…

            _"…__The __North Kai_ alerted me to a rising group of warriors which seemed suspicious in his quadrant. At the mention of the appearance of the symbol for Majin- an M, like you saw on Spopovitch and Yamu's forehead- I decided to investigate. From what I learned, Babidi had been far from well-known, and pretty much ignored by the galaxy. However, one day, he appeared at a tournament with a new fighter that no one had ever seen before- a 14-year-old half-Saiyan. No one knew who he was, but he dominated the arena, and thus began Babidi's rise to a reputation that even the Kais couldn't ignore…" __

_            "Dabura, go weed out the weak ones. Oh, but leave the Kai for me."_

_"Still jealous that my half-breed is stronger than the all-powerful demon king?"_

_            "Hn…" _

Cookie to anyone who can say why my William Blake quote is so appropriate for this story. Hint: Pay special attention to the last two lines! 

            Hey, you know what? I feel special this story. I'm gonna toss in some extra tidbits from *way* in the future of this story (I'm either feeling special… or evil.) May confusion abound ^^

            ***THE UBER LOOK INTO THE FUTURE!***

            (If you are easily confused, reader discretion is advised.)

_"Shin, please, Shin…"_

_            Dead, dead, dead…_

_            "No! No, it's a lie! He doesn't want to!" _

_            They're going down. Down… Down… Blood… Dead…_

_            "Please!" _

_            He could feel them dying. Dead. Dead. Another dead. Another, another…_

_            Shin stood. Shin walked out. _

_            The Supreme Kai abandoned him. _

_            Breath rattled in and out of the Saiyan's throat, sweat pouring down his face. "Shin… Kai…" _

_            Eyes still on the emptied doorway, he suddenly grew stiff. _

_            Every fighter was gone from the arena. _

_            Slowly, numbly, blindly, he turned and faced the battleground. _

_            The boy. Hair still its silky, spiky coal. Skin still porcelain. Features more and more mockingly similar to his own. _

_            Hair… Darkened with a crimson substance. Skin… Splotched, splattered, stained with malicious ruby… His head was turned away as the small, almost harmless looking boy stood in the midst of so much blood. So much pain. _

_And then, then that familiar voice spoke for the first time in what seemed like centuries, whispered into his ears in a hoarse tone… ((Dad will be mad…))_

_His head turned, flashed, blank, cold, onyx eyes suddenly on him. _

_On him.__ Those emotionless stones. Two empty voids. Just two glittering stones tossed in a sea of blood. _

_Goku screamed. _

_He screamed, and he stepped back- forgot he was on a stairway, and tripped. Tripped, fell, still screaming, still numb, still horrified, still unable to breathe… Still… Still… _

And _that is the uber look into the future. Confused? YAY! Wow, this is a long chapter, too. I can tell I've been reading Fahrenheit 451 lately. It shows in that paragraph above, since I just wrote that last night. _

Reviewers…

**DBZ Chick1- **_Seems everyone was attacked by vicious hurricanes this year. Yay! Lotsa words! ^^ No, anything but the crutch!_

**Anime-crazed33-**_Everyone caught on effectively, then. That's why this isn't a mystery story! Thank you, though ^^ I've seen a lot of people misspelling brilliant lately. You didn't! Have an e-cookie!_

**Aleandra**** Alyra Sarienna- _lol_ I loved this review ^^ I was rolling on the floor after reading it. Don't kill me yet! Must finish! I updated. I added that little *uber future view* as condolence for my long waits. Besides, this was a long chapter! 9 pages! That's long for me! ^^ I'm the laziest authoress alive. Geez.__**

**Simba-rulz****- _You were right ^^ It is Gohan. Oh, yea, I looked at Red Lightning. Thanks ^^ Sorry, I didn't review. I'll go see again. I only glanced at it when I was running out the door before --;_**

**Adrienne D- **_Ah, my exemplary reviewer. I will answer all questions, I swear! (eventually… hehehehe) Thank you, I thought the Piccolo part was a bit blunt and un-Piccolo-like, but hopefully not too much so. You are absolutely right! That's why I called the story Kokuhaku. It made sense at the time, and still does. The whole black and white thing will play a major role later, but don't worry about it now. Hopefully the wait wasn't too long ^^ I've been sad lately, none of my favorite stories have updated. No good stories are being started, either, it seems. Oh well. Thanks for yet another great review! I love reading these. _

**SSJ5Tigger- **_Definitely Videl.__ Hehehe ^^ *I'm all alone, there's no one here, besi-ides me…* Ok, I'll shut up now. So, you were born confused? Maybe I can confuse you further. Did the future tidbit help? Hehehe ^^ It's my mission to confuse!_

**KMX- **_o.O__ Longness.__ Sheik is the best, you must admit. I can kick butt in Super Sudden Death with him/her (it's Zelda, so I guess it'd be a she, but… I call him male ^^) _

**Shea**** Loner- _I like your name, too. I need to get a name without a 2 on the end. *sigh* Did you like this chapter? Hope so. One of the more exciting ones. _**

Well, I'm gonna get this up, and then go work on evil homework. At least I get to write in hieroglyphics! Yay! Go hieroglyphics, and go William Blake ^^ Adios!


	10. Occult

Yo!

            Happy Halloween, guys. Hope this gives you something to do, those stuck with watching the door for trick-or-treaters. I usually try to avoid A/N in the middle of the story, but in two instances I *had* to comment ^^ Sorry if it takes away at all. I just felt the need to note some things, and felt the force of the comment would be pulled away if I simply referenced to the bottom of the page. Anyways, 'nough chat, on to the story!

            Disclaimer: I no own! If I did, I'd have a lot more to do than answer the door on Halloween. *sigh*

Last time…

_"So you named him Goten…?"_

_"Huh? Wha-"_

_"I will do as you ask. All I can say is… I'm sorry…" _

_"What're you doing!? Let Goku go! They're killing Gohan!"_

_"You think Kakkarot's feeling any better than you, standing up there watching his son being tortured? For some reason none of us know?" He glanced at Shin, obviously struggling to control his own independent nature. "Hopefully the Supreme Kai will supply a grand reason." _

_All he felt was… numb. His mind had drawn a blank; his nerves had stopped functioning. All he could feel, all he could hear, was his heart beating a cruel tattoo against his eardrums as cold sweat rolled down his face._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 10

Occult 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"We have met the enemy and it is us."   
****-_Walt Kelly _**

"Goku!" Videl's cries gained no response as she raced to the arena. Tears stung threateningly at her eyes, but she fought back the sensation, continuing her hurried walk. 

            "Isn't that Videl down there? She knows Son Goku?" Erasa's eyes widened as she stared down. 

            "Yea, why not?" Sharpener replied, not even bothering to glance over at his blonde companion. 

            Videl arrived at her friend's side, chest heaving as she slowed her run; she hadn't realized it, but she had been holding her breath the whole time. Now she regretted it. "Goku, I'm so sorry! I tried to help but Vegeta, he-" 

            The teenager girl's voice broke off abruptly as the Saiyan stood shakily; Shin had appeared at their side, expression drawn. "I must go- I have to follow them." 

            Kabito, Krillin, Vegeta, and Piccolo had appeared as well, expressions intermingling; some were unfazed, some shocked, some simply aggravated. Vegeta was the one to step forward first, snatching the Kai's collar. "Tell us what's going on, Kai. What the hell is Kakkarot's dead gaki doing here?" 

            Shin carefully removed the Saiyan's grip, who strangely gave up no fight. "If you will follow me, I will tell you. I must go now, or else I will lose them." With that, the Kai took off, disappearing over the rim of the arena. Kabito followed suit without a word.  

            Growling his displeasure, Vegeta did something most out of character. He looked to his inferior. "Kakkarot?" 

            Although still quite pale, the Saiyan swallowed, nodding. "Let's find out what's going on around here." 

            All four had just begun to hover into the air when a certain female made her presence known with a shout of, "Hold on!" 

            Placing her hands on her hips, she glared at the quartet of departing warriors. "Where do you think you're going? I'm coming too!"

            Krillin was the one to make an attempt at placating the girl. "Videl, I don't think this is s-" 

            The human balked as Satan's daughter interrupted once more. "I deserve to know what the hell is going on too, you know!" 

            "Videl." Even the fiery human was surprised by the gravity of Goku's voice. "This could be dangerous; you saw what just happened. I can't let anything happen to you." 

            The teen thought for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Instead, she just looked to the ground in embarrassment at her outburst. She hadn't even though of how Goku might feel at the moment. 

            "I promise I'll tell you everything, ok?" Goku smiled lightly, a little of his usual happiness returning. 

            Videl gave a slightly frustrated stare in return. "You'd better. Don't get blown up, ok? Any of you. Except Vegeta, of course." 

            Krillin grinned, relieved by the lightened atmosphere. "We'll try! Oh, Videl, tell 18 where I'm going please? She'd be so mad if I skipped out on her…" 

            "What am I, your slave now?" The girl teased, despite the concern that was nagging at the back of her mind.  

            Goku took off without a word, flanked by Vegeta and Piccolo. Krillin gave a final wave, disappearing after the others. 

            "What's our plan?" Krillin muttered once they had skirted the rim of the arena. 

            Goku continued to stare forward, seeking out the forms of the pair he obviously felt. However, he did reply, "We'll just have to wing it." 

            "Don't we always?" The human replied dryly, all too concerned about the situation at hand. 

            Vegeta smirked at Krillin's discomfort. At least the human realized he was out of place. 

            All 4 picked up the pace, soon leveling with the Kai and his companion. Shin kept his eyes forward as he began. "We are following those three because they are returning to the one person who will begin the destruction of this planet." 

            "Why haven't _we_ heard anything of this?" Vegeta snapped irritably. 

            "Because he had no idea that there was anyone on this planet of a decent power level. Not that he would be interested in any of you, anyways." 

            "And who is this 'he?'" Goku interrupted. 

            Shin took each question with stride, eyes forward the entire time, locked on the figures in the far, far distance. "'He' is the wizard Babidi. Perhaps I should start at the beginning…" Before any could interrupt, he went on, "Long ago, there was a terror in the universe named Majin Buu. This was a creature created, and controlled by, the wizard Bibidi. He destroyed planets, and later 4 of the Supreme Kai, including the Kai who looked over us all. I was the only one left… But Bibidi was forced to contain Buu, tired from controlling him. With Buu safely away, we destroyed Bibidi, and considered it done." 

            "Buu… He was left on this planet, wasn't he?" Vegeta surmised. 

            "Yes," Shin replied gravely. 

            Piccolo fell back to toss a glance at the short Saiyan. "What made you assume that? He could've brought it with him." 

            "This planet seems to be a magnet for every annoyingly strong and deadly evil creature in this universe. It wasn't hard to figure out," the Saiyan Prince replied dryly.

            The Supreme Kai gave a warning cough and, regaining both warriors' attention, continued. "What we did not realize was that Bibidi had a son. And that son has been planning this little revival for quite awhile." 

            Goku spoke for the first time in a long while, voice level. "What are they doing with _my son?" _

            At this, Shin shot the Saiyan a sharp glare. "The first thing you must understand is that there is very little possibility that that is actually your son. The North Kai alerted me to a rising group of warriors which seemed suspicious in his quadrant. At the mention of the appearance of the symbol for Majin- an M, like you saw on Spopovitch and Yamu's forehead- I decided to investigate. From what I learned, Babidi had been far from well-known, and pretty much ignored by the galaxy. However, one day, he appeared at a tournament with a new fighter that no one had ever seen before- a 14-year-old half-Saiyan. No one knew who he was, but he dominated the arena, and thus began Babidi's rise to a reputation that even the Kais couldn't ignore." 

            "But that- that had to be Gohan. He sounded, looked, hell, he even stood just like he used to- but older, of course. It isn't impossible that Babidi revived him!" Goku contradicted. 

            "Goku, let me guess, your son was exactly like you?" 

            The Saiyan was slightly taken aback at this question. "I… I guess, but not exactly…" 

            Piccolo interrupted gruffly. "The Gohan I knew was a warrior in his own, but unlike his father, he wasn't made for the battlefield. He hated to fight, when it came down to it." 

            Krillin nodded in agreement. "Gohan was just like Goku that way, he'd never harm anyone that didn't deserve it…" 

            "This Gohan has killed hundreds upon hundreds of slaves. He has bathed each arena from here to the South Quadrant in the blood of innocents." Shin snapped coldly. (A/N: And that, my dear readers, is how to verbally slap the Z fighters.) 

            Goku stopped in mid-flight. 

After a moment of shocked numbness, he shook his head to dislodge muddled thoughts, shooting after the group again. Even then, he was finding it difficult to breathe correctly. 

             Shin continued on, eyes on the horizon once more. "Obviously you understand. That is not your Gohan. I watched him one day- he was a murderer, through and through, killing each and every warrior in the ring without mercy." 

            "I can't believe Gohan would…" Krillin muttered dazedly. 

            "Aren't you listening to me at all?" Shin snapped. "That isn't Gohan. It may be just a shadow. Whatever it is, you mustn't hold back against him. He is a powerful enemy, as you saw." 

            "Why did they do that? Drain his ki? His own allies?" Vegeta had kept a straight head through it all, concise and to the point as always. 

            Shin was relieved at this. At least someone was listening. "They have been collecting the energy necessary to revive Buu here and there over the years. That energy that Yamu is carrying is the final dosage necessary to revive the monster… I believe Babidi was just showing off at the tournament. He knew I was on to him, I was stupid enough to confront him that day in the arena…" The Kai's eyes narrowed once more. "Our mission is to get that ki before Buu is revived, and destroy Babidi and his men." 

            "Men? As in 'more than one?'" Krillin inquired worriedly. 

            "Last time I checked, Babidi was controlling that teenage boy, the demon king Dabura, and several men. Of course, that was many years ago. He obviously acquired Yamu and Spopovitch along the way." 

            "Demon… king? Are you sure we can beat this guy?" 

            "Dabura is a worry, yes, but that half-breed is more of a concern. He is far more powerful than the demon king. And Babidi himself is weak, until it comes to his magic." 

            "We're here." Goku stated in an eerily calm voice, gaining varying looks of slightly disconcerted looks from his three allies. 

            "It is your choice to remain at this point. If you do not wish to fight, then I suggest you leave…" 

            Krillin immediately began to back up. "Well, you guys seem to…" 

            "Duck." Piccolo ordered calmly, snatching the back of the human's shirt as the group dived behind the rim of the rocks below, peeking down. 

            "There, that's Babidi!" Shin whispered quietly, voice made harsh by his low tone. "The warrior there is Dabura." 

            Yamu and Spopovitch approached their master with zombie-like steps, gently laying down the limp Gohan and glowing energy container like offerings before stepping back. 

            Dabura glanced down at the unconscious demi-Saiyan, and Goku was surprised to see a look of pleasure briefly flicker across the demon's face. 

            Piccolo leaned closer, trying his best to hear the conversation. To his pleasure, it reached his ears. "We have done it, sir, and I don't believe we were followed; you should've seen the look on the opponent's face when we drained him," Yamu spoke with a dark grin. 

            Babidi's eyes narrowed. "The point was for someone _to follow you. But you're too idiotic to realize they did." _

            All 6, concealed in the hills, gave an involuntary jolt as the wizard glanced right at them. 

            Smiling, the short creature continued, "Take him inside, Pui Pui. Now, Spopovitch, Yamu, for your reward…" 

            He nodded towards Dabura, who gave a smile befitting of his demonic name. 

            The pair never had a chance to run away. 

            "Those bastards! They destroy their own allies!" Krillin hissed in anger. Vegeta nodded in agreement. 

            Goku continued to stare, silent, gauging. 

            "Dabura, go weed out the weak ones. Oh, but leave the Kai for me." 

            Piccolo immediately stood, eyes wide as he cried, "They know we're here!" 

            All 6 were on guard immediately, ready to attack. 

            Dabura moved faster than they had imagined, and before Goku could land a kick, the demon had turned Kabito to dust. Working fast, he quickly spat at Krillin and Piccolo, gaining a look of disgust from both. 

            That was before they were turned to stone. 

            Shin, Vegeta, and Goku stood alone. 

            Dabura balanced on a rock regally, smirking. "My master awaits you." With that, he had spun on his heel and disappeared into the spaceship before they could exhale. 

            Goku glanced balefully at his petrified friends. "Krillin…" 

            "Let's go." Vegeta stated coldly, taking towards the ship. Uncertain, Shin followed; the younger Saiyan lingered a moment before taking the same path.

~*~

            "You think your dad's gonna be ok?" Goten inquired worriedly, stuck on the bottom of their 'Mighty Mask' once more. 

            "Yea, dunno about your's, though. He's so weak compared to…" 

            "Hey! That's not true! Veggie's never beaten Dad!" Goten protested, pin wheeling his arms and successfully toppling his friend. The young half-Saiyan grumbled loudly at the boy before regaining his place on his shoulders. 

            But he still _had_ to get the last word. "Did too." 

            "Trunks!" 

            A loud thud rang from the rim of the arena, gaining looks of curiosity from spectators below. 

            "Goten, stop doing that!" 

~*~

            "They are heading inside, sir." Dabura reported calmly, looking all the world like a loyal manservant. 

            Babidi smiled. "Good. Now I can test these earthlings; maybe I can control a whole Saiyan trio. The entire universe would tremble!" (A/N: Insert lame, annoying evil cackle here.) 

The demon king seemed slightly annoyed at this. "Sir, certainly you won't need that demi-Saiyan and his friends when you have Majin Buu?" 

            "Still jealous that my half-breed is stronger than the all-powerful demon king?" 

            "Hn…" 

            "Speak of the devil." Babidi smirked at his own joke as the mentioned demi-Saiyan appeared in the doorway, posture straight as always, eyes dull with indifference. 

            Sighing, the wizard lazily flapped a hand. "Alright, enough of that dull bovine look. C'mon, Okiri." 

            At first, the transformation was only visible in the 18-year-old's charcoal eyes; they switched from that dull, glossy appearance to a glittering, cold animosity in mere seconds. Gohan's frown then increased; his glare landed full-force on his "master." 

            "There we go. Much better. Now then, I have a question for you. Just how strong are these Saiyans? Should I have a little fun first, or just kill them straight off?" 

            Gohan's glare grew in ferocity. Babidi knew _damn well that he hadn't spoken in nearly 5 years. _

            Dabura, however, was still frustrated by the teenager's cold silence. He drove a fist into the demi-Saiyan's stomach as he barked, "Reply when he asks!" 

            Gohan punched right back, unaffected by the demon's punch. He did, however, have an affect on his attacker; Dabura pulled back, winded. One hand held his injured abdomen. 

            Okiri couldn't help a slight smirk. ((I still have an advantage.))

            Dabura coughed, and for a moment considered spitting at the demi-Saiyan. Babidi beat him to the punch. "Don't even think about it, Dabura. You'll probably miss, and I like the floor when it's _not your damned ugly gray stone." _

            Okiri smirked again. 

            Wiping his mouth, the demon straightened, scowling. "That brat's more trouble than he's worth. All he does is screw things up, sire! We should let Buu kill him the moment we revive him." With that said, he commenced a glaring contest with his adversary. Okiri stared right back, still smirking. 

            "Enough, Dabura. Now Okiri, are you going to answer my question, or do you want me to find out myself?" 

            ((Go ahead, get your men killed,)) Okiri thought, but he said nothing. His smirk had dissolved. 

            "Alright then. We'll have to test them, then. Bring out Pui Pui." 

            (('Bout damn time we got rid of that bastard…))

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kinda abrupt, no? Sorry. I didn't want to go much farther. Besides, I gave you the nice verbal slap, didn't I? *hehehe* I was mean to poor Goku this chapter. I'll make up for it next chapter. No… wait… I won't ^^; Nevermind that, then, 

            Wow. Just watched Movie 8 for the first time. Gohan got beat up a lot. Hung on a wall… twice… and used for a punching bag! I kind of didn't get when this movie occurred, though. Gohan had the haircut and looks of post-Spirit and Time Room, but Goku was alive, so that meant it was pre-Cell Games, but neither Goku nor Gohan were Super Saiyan, and they were Super Saiyan the entire time before Cell Games. Also, Goku and Gohan wouldn't be lounging about and just jump off to some new planet Vegeta. They wouldn't leave Earth alone with Cell! So when is it? It can't be before Spirit and Time- Gohan's too old. And he couldn't go Super Saiyan. *And* they were too busy with androids. It can't be after Cell Games- Goku's alive. It's the great mystery of the DBZ world.

            I can't wait to see Movie 9, though (although I'm not sure when this occurs, either; didn't Trunks leave right after? But it's more feasible than Broly). All Gohan ^^ I wanna see, I wanna see! Anyone know when the dubbed version comes out? Can't seem to find out anywhere.

            I was going to get into a Goku rant. I don't recall what about, though. Other than I found my favorite scene in the manga (so far)! When Goku stands up from being ill (heart virus, androids, Roshi's island, ya know?), he looks so… cool. Calm. Intelligent. Totally different from the anime, where to me, he seemed air-headed. In this he resembles Bardock, totally sure of what to do and not the least bit perturbed. He just looks so *different* and it's great!

            Well, now for el reviews!

**KMX- **_Yea, I knew that. I just always see Sheik as male-ish. That's why she has the binds on her chest, right? To make her look male? I draw her as practice, so I noticed that ^^ Hmm… one of those guesses on how Gohan became a Majin was right. Which one, I wonder *hehehe* No, I think everyone has a natural animosity towards Supreme Kai. Maybe it's just a natural thing. But he never did get all of his training and *was* kind of shoved into his job, so I feel kinda sorry for him. It's like promoting a rookie to president and then leaving him to himself with no advisors but the clueless Kabito. Sorry, Goten and Trunks made an appearance last chapter, but I kinda forgot about them. I tried to think of a way to fit them in, but kinda forgot later ^^; Sorry! They'll play major roles later. Trunks even gets to get into a wrestling match! Go Trunks! Lol, Kouhaku? Niftiness. Thanks for the compliment ^^_

**Shea**** Loner- _Cool ^^ The thing that occurred in the "Look into the Future" will most likely come into play in a few months if I keep updating regularly *crosses fingers*_**

**DBZ Chick1- **_I did? Coolness ^^ Yep, bad Shin, he didn't put his detective skills to their greatest extent. _

**SSJ5Tigger- **_Nooo__!!! Don't do it Milly! Thankfully my dog can't reach the keyboard unless I pick him up *hehe* Yay! Peace out to you too!_

**Aleandra**** Alyra Sarienna- _Liked the new chappie ^^ Another story? o.O I dunno if I could handle that…. Let's finish Kokuhaku first. If it helps, it's going to be three parts long…? Ah! Muses! They can be scary things. Believe me, I was cracking up for a *long* time after that review ^^ I'm easily entertained. You'll find out how the Majins caught Gohan *evil laugh* Fahrenheit 451 rocks! Mwahaha! I updated, I updated ^^;_**

**Simba-rulz****- _Yep, he is ^^ I updated!_**

**Alex Ultra- **_I don't update quick, so I'd say the first one, Regis. As Shin explained, Babidi was making a show of it because he's an evil (insert word here) and he felt like flaunting his control over Gohan. Babidi can be patient when he wants to. The fact that he's been planning this for so long proves as much- it took him 7 years to carry Gohan to this point, after all. We'll have to find out just what state Gohan's in, won't we? Actually, that was a good guess at the quote. Not on the target, but good. ^^ Words aren't kind to me early in the morning. Thank goodness I have math to wake me up first period. Like your signature._

**Adrienne D- **_Wow, when I saw this review… *whistles* I couldn't believe it! I loved reading this, too. Okie dokies, onto the review (*still so happy that she got such a long review*) Familiaris Peregrinus does sound like a bird, doesn't it? Lol ^^ Latin can be funny sometimes. This story seems to be all about contrasts. Saiyans, humans, good, evil, koku, haku, etc., etc…_

_Yay__ ^^ I'm glad you didn't mind my creative liberty. I can't stand fillers. I may *have* to explain stuff later, like in various Goten and Trunks adventures, but for the moment I felt no need to elongate the scene. Tweaking is the author's greatest tool ^^ I think I did mess up that announcer bit. Sorry. I may take it out later. Now that I think about it, it didn't make sense at all o.O I'll fix it, when I can get around to it. I'm trying to get part *1* up right now. God forbid part 2. Geez… I thought the height thing was kind of strange. I have noticed for awhile that shorter people are a little head-strong. Krillin was always fired up in Dragonball, and Vegeta is the *personification* of hard-headed in DBZ. I imagine Goku would notice something like that. As Chelsee once stated in one of her essays, Goku may not understand some things, but he knows fighting like the back of his hand. He knows an assaulter's strengths and weaknesses before anyone knows they're under attack. Another interesting part about him, and another reason I tend to like him ^^ As you've noticed, I try my best to build up Goku's character in Kokuhaku. Later I'll do the same with Goten. Yes, I do imagine everyone in DB world speaks the same language, as it seems a semi-close-knit world. It makes perfect sense as a theory. I actually changed the part about Goten ^^ At first he just went straight to it, but I really have been musing that Gohan would linger about that a lot, being his little brother and all. And as I said, I will develop Goten later. So I just wanted to start the process here. LOL ^^ I'm glad my suspense worked. I was afraid it would flop. I'm no master of these things- I fear most when I get to fights. I actually don't think I'll have a direct *fight* fight in this one, just short spars, except for a small wrestling match that Trunks conducts and a big climatic match at the end. Chi-chi always faints. It's guaranteed ^^ As Shin explained, there was no need to paralyze Gohan. You nailed it right on. The quote doesn't actually pertain exactly to the chapter itself, but to the story itself. A hint was in this chapter, actually. Hope you did well in band- seems a lot of people I know are in that. Astrozazel, you… geez ^^; I have actually read Fahrenheit 451 several times. It's an annual thing for me. Fall, pick up Fahrenheit 451 and start going! I'll look out for Martian Chronicles. Any Ray Bradbury book is probably fantastic ^^ The guy's a genius! Thankies for the *fantastic* review. I hope I answered well enough. *glances at reply* wow…. This has to be my longest reply yet!_

**Silver Warrior- **_*sheepish grin* Thanks.__ Yep, poor Gohan, a puppet. I think he'd probably prefer being a spirit in otherworld to serving Babidi, though o.O_

            Whew. Owch. That took awhile ^^ Thanks for reviews! I can't *believe* I've got 85 on this fic. I never dreamed ^^ And to think, Serendipity so far along, and so few reviews. I don't really mind though. I do think this fic just stands head and shoulders above Serendipity. I refuse to ditch either of them, though- the exciting parts are yet to come! I look forward to posting next chapter, and hope you enjoyed this one ^^


	11. Disappearing from the Light

Hiya!

            Woot! New chapter! Hope you all like… Sorry for any tab/spacing inconsistencies. For some reason, sometimes indents show up, sometimes they don't. I don't know if it's Word or the internet. Weird… 

I got a Livejournal! Now I can extend rants! Not like I couldn't here, but I like ranting in Livejournal better. If you have way too much free time, you can go read my insane banter. Link's on my author page. 

            Alright, enough chat, on with the Gohan torture : )  

Disclaimer: I no own!

Last time on Kokuhaku:

_"Dabura, go weed out the weak ones.__ Oh, but leave the Kai for me." _

_Piccolo immediately stood, eyes wide as he cried, "They know we're here!"         _

_Goku glanced balefully at his petrified friends. "Krillin…"_

_Dabura__ balanced on a rock regally, smirking. "My master awaits you."_

_"That brat's more trouble than he's worth. All he does is screw things up, sire! We should let Buu kill him the moment we revive him." With that said, he commenced a glaring contest with his adversary. Okiri stared right back, still smirking._

_"We'll have to test them, then. Bring out Pui Pui."_

_(('Bout damn time we got rid of that bastard…))_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 11

Disappearing from the Light

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**"I thought that I heard you laughing  
I thought that I heard you sing  
I think I thought I saw you try**

**But that was just a dream  
That was just a dream**

**Just a dream…"**

**            ~_REM, Losing My Religion_**

"This looks like an arena…" Vegeta stated with a calm determination. The destruction of three allies had barely deterred him. 

            Goku was, as always, silent, quietly observing their new whereabouts. 

            "Welcome to my ship." Babidi's voice rebounded across the room, causing even Vegeta to jump. "I know you're here for Buu, so I thought I'd make a little contest out of it. There are several layers to this ship. Buu is at the bottom. Each level, you will fight one of my warriors, and if you defeat them, then you can move on. If you lose, you will die, one by one. Or all at one time, if you like. And now… Round 1!" 

            "Who's fighting?" Goku asked of Vegeta, his Saiyan headstrong attitude shining through. Shin was surprised by the fact that neither seemed in the least bit worried. 

            "I'll do the first. You're second." The Prince immediately replied, cracking his knuckles. Goku nodded in calm agreement. 

            A small door to their left slowly edged open, drawing their attention. Out stepped the alien who they had seen taking Gohan away, and as Vegeta looked over his power level, he grinned. This was gonna be a cinch. 

            "Well, don't hesitate, come at me all at once if you like," the Majin Pui Pui drawled with an attitude befitting of a full-blooded Saiyan. 

            Vegeta was still grinning. "_I_ am your opponent, small fry." 

            "Only you? You insult my strength." 

            "It isn't difficult to do so," the Saiyan snapped back.

            "It's your funeral!" Pai Pai shouted, aiming a punch at the short being. 

            Vegeta quickly held up an arm, blasting the alien with a ki wave before he was within a foot of his opponent. Needless to say, dust was all that was left. 

            Shin gaped. 

            Goku merely nodded in slight approval. "Bit dramatic, wasn't it?" 

            The Prince clapped his hands together, attempting to rid his gloves of the idea of touching that slimy creature. "I thought this was supposed to be difficult." 

            The center of the floor opened, and the trio descended to the second level, Shin still trying to find a way to withhold his astonishment. 

~*~

            "Well, they aren't half bad." Babidi commented, tiny toad hands on his hips. He considered his options a moment, before finally saying, "I don't want them getting too much of an ego. Or, for that matter, too deep into the ship." 

            He glanced at his two lackeys, both of which were still engaged in a staring contest. Dabura was losing. 

            "Dabura? You just got to destroy the weaker ones, though… Besides, Juujen hasn't gotten a good fight in awhile. What better way to warm up for a test fight against Buu?" 

            Okiri broke the staring contest, and although he loathed the weakness of it, his eyes widened in horror. Finally he croaked, "N-No…" 

            The demon king blinked in surprise. "He spoke." 

            Babidi, however, was not in the least bit startled; he continued on coldly. "Yes, I don't want you to be rusty when you test to see how strong my father's creation is." 

            "I won't let you! I… I won't!" Okiri cried, starting towards the wizard. Dabura quickly restrained the demi-Saiyan, grabbing him by the arms. 

            "This should be _glorious_." Babidi gloated, eyes narrowed. 

            "No! _No!" Okiri couldn't help the tears that escaped the edges of his eyes… _

            Babidi waved a hand, and the demi-Saiyan fell limp. 

            Even as the half of Gohan's personality known as Juujen took over, zombie-like, Okiri continued a chant alone in his mind. ((I'm going to kill them… I can't… I will… _No…))  _

~*~

            "Hope this one's more challenging." Goku commented, staring at the door which would produce the second fighter with stiff determination. 

            "I had no idea you were this strong. But I guess it should be of no surprise, that half-breed was an amazing fighter." Shin was still in a daze, hand to his head. 

            "Maybe this'll be that demon king, Kakkarot. Think you can handle it?" 

            "With ease. Just have to watch out for his spit," the Saiyan replied dryly. 

            Babidi's voice returned, causing all to jolt once more. "Sorry for the wait, we had a few technical difficulties." The wizard snorted at his own personal joke, causing all three to raise their eyebrows; Goku was strangely reminded of King Kai. "Now for round two, your last, I'm sure. It was nice having this little tournament." 

            Vegeta snorted. "Pig-headed little toad, isn't he?"

            "Why does everyone think we are so weak?" Goku growled, eyes narrowed. 

            Shin shrugged. 

            The conversation ended their, all eyes drawn apprehensively to the door as it gave a resounding click before, ever so slowly, edging open. 

            An ivory-clad boot tapped against the tile floor. 

             Goku took an involuntary step back as Gohan entered the arena. 

            "Kakkarot, don't freeze you baka!" Vegeta barked, seeing the look upon his rival's face. 

            "It's not Gohan!" Shin cried in concern. 

            Gohan stared down his opponent with a lack of interest, arms crossed over his bleach-white gi. He looked so… warrior-like. 

            Strangely, he reminded Goku of a younger, stronger Chi-chi. 

            With that, he felt his legs freeze to the ground. 

            Even his mind seemed frozen in place at the moment, like when he had been paralyzed during the Tournament- but this time, he did not struggle. There was nothing to struggle against. This was his own body working against him. And thusly, he simply stood, stared, like a mock ice-statue before a fire. 

            And that fire was his own son.

            Gohan made the first attack, ki collecting in his fist in a deadly amount as he rocketed towards his father; Goku remained stock-still, eyes wide. Vegeta, on the sidelines, was in a state of shock himself. He had never seen _Kakkarot_ freeze before. There was Gohan- during that first fight between Nappa and the Z fighters. But not Kakkarot. Kakkarot the fearless, tailless Saiyan. 

            It almost scared him.  

            Just as the demi-Saiyan's fist was about to connect, Vegeta was brought back to his senses, and he tackled his rival, sending them both crashing to the ground. Gohan stumbled, and a surge of invisible power ripped through the back wall of the arena. 

            The Saiyan Prince leapt to his feet, ready to attack, as Goku remained immobile on the ground; the demi-Saiyan straightened, eerily-blank charcoal eyes narrowed. 

            Goku finally rose shakily, propping himself up with his arms. His breath came in shaky bursts. 

            The Saiyan Prince eyed the damage behind him before glaring at his adversary. "That could've killed him!" 

            "All's fair in this tournament, Vegeta." Babidi's voice replied. 

            "What's the matter? Your puppet can't speak for itself?" 

            "He doesn't need to." 

            Vegeta returned his gaze to his opponent again; now he was a tad more nervous.

~*~

            "Alright, Juujen, attack!" Babidi yelled with glee. 

            Dabura smirked in his demonic manner. It was such a joy to watch that brat get tortured. Oh, if he could only _hear what the little brat was thinking while this went on. _

            But Babidi's chipper attitude dissolved quickly. Instead, he frowned. "Why isn't he moving?" 

            Dabura peered into the crystal ball- sure enough, the demi-Saiyan was stock still, causing even Vegeta to become confused. 

            "Juujen, I order you!" 

            No reaction. 

            "_No! That's __it!" _

~*~

            Vegeta blinked once more… Ok, this was getting ridiculous, was the brat going to attack or not? 

            No. All he did was stand there. Stare coldly. Didn't even blink. 

            What the hell? 

            The landscape around them began to shift, alter, fading to black; Gohan did not seem the least bit perturbed, although Vegeta, Shin, and Goku couldn't say the same. 

            They stood in a desert, harsh wind tearing at their skin. Before Vegeta could both a) curse and b) question what in Kami's name was going on, Babidi's voice interrupted once more, cool tone replaced with barely-contained rage. "This match has been _cancelled." _

            With that, Gohan faded away. 

            All three blinked. Vegeta was the only one to actually voice his question. "What… the hell… just happened?" 

            "Maybe he had some… technical difficulties…?" Shin replied numbly. 

            Goku struggled to his feet, stumbling slightly. Vegeta tackled _hard. Regaining his voice, he quietly spoke. "Maybe he was having trouble controlling Gohan…" _

            "That's impossible," Shin scoffed, "That was a-" 

            "Puppet, we know, but maybe Babidi wants us to think that. Maybe he thought he had total control over Gohan, but when he stepped into the ring to kill us, Gohan froze." 

            Vegeta's eyes narrowed, and he stepped in before Shin could. "Have you lost your mind, Kakkarot? Maybe you hit the ground too hard. Let me refresh your memory, _baka__. That fighter just tried to take your damned _head _off! If that punch had connected with your face, you'd be reuniting with that idiot of a Kai right now! How the _hell_ can you actually __think that that's your brat of a son?" _

            "Even Shin said Babidi's a very powerful wizard. He could be controlling him, Vegeta!" 

            "_Kakkarot_…" The Prince growled warningly. 

            The Supreme Kai sighed, deciding to play mediator. "Look, let's just… decide where to go from here." 

            Although both Saiyans were still glaring at each other, Goku chose to respond. "We need to go tell everyone at the tournament what's going on…" 

            "Fine. Let's go back." 

            "But what about Buu…" Shin inquired worriedly. 

            Vegeta shook his head. "If that Gohan can make that much damage with one punch, there's no way in hell we'll stand a chance against him right now. There's not much we can do at the moment." 

            "Maybe 18 will help…" 

            "I doubt it. Stop babbling and go, Kakkarot." 

~*~

            Babidi shook with rage as his demi-Saiyan lackey appeared in the arena once more, back straight, posture collected. He quickly restored Okiri's control, and Gohan collapsed to the floor, his frame shaking. 

            "Bring him here." The wizard snapped, and Dabura scurried to obey. 

~*~ 

            The demon king's face contorted with disgust as he stared down at the quaking teenager. After a moment of silence in which neither being locked eyes, Dabura reached down, snagging the demi-Saiyan by his throat and hefting him up to eye level with fluid ease.

            Okiri kept his eyes tightly closed. _This is no time for a staring contest. However, he couldn't prevent a soft gasp as the cold fingers kept their staunch grip on his neck._

            Dabura's eyes narrowed and he promptly dropped the boy; this time, Okiri was able to keep his knees beneath him, steadying his swaying body.

            The demon's silence gained his curiosity. He cautiously looked up.

            He immediately stumbled backwards, slamming into the wall with the force of the demon's slap. Sensitive ears rang with the resonation of flesh-on-flesh. A sharp sting sliced across his cheek upon impact, cutting through the general pain of the rough slap; one of Dabura's sharpened nails had neatly flayed the skin. 

            Still glowering and silent, Dabura snatched the dazed boy by the gi, shoving him through the doorway.

~*~

            The demi-Saiyan slammed to the floor with the force of the demon's push as he entered the room; mastering his involuntary shaking, Okiri rose to his feet, regaining his usual cold composure. 

            Babidi's voice was dripping with animosity. "_Damn it! I could've killed them all then and there, if not for that little antic!" _

            Dabura glared once more with distaste at the non-responsive teenager, commenting, "You should've sent me, sir. I would've finished the job." 

            "Don't be silly, you would be dead. That short Saiyan that destroyed Pui Pui could've easily destroyed you." Babidi reprimanded distractedly, but his attention soon returned to the demi-Saiyan. "We could've been done with all three of them by now, but no, heroic little Saiyan-boy had to come and save the day again…

            "Well it won't happen again!" Babidi raged, tiny hands curled in his almost insane fit.

            Okiri just glared right back, in true Saiyan fashion. He was no longer able to keep a tight hold on his tongue. Instead, he spat arrogantly, "Go ahead and drain yourself on me. How are you going to revive your precious Majin Buu?" 

            "You still don't realize it, _boy. _I'm being merciful, letting you kill your friends. I can send Dabura to slaughter them anytime I want. And after that, I will revive Majin Buu. It is inevitable. You can kill them yourselves, quickly, mercifully- or I will take care of them." Babidi laughed at the taken aback expression on his demi-Saiyan follower. That was enough to cool his rage. "Idiot. They're going to die. You just get to choose how." 

            With that said, Babidi turned and left, leaving Okiri to his thoughts. 

            Dabura turned to follow, but not before shoving the halfbreed against the wall, eyes narrowed as he pressed against the teen's throat. "Go ahead, do it again. _I'll kill them nice and slow…" _

The demon king dropped his sadistic facial expression and his hold on the boy's throat, exiting the room. 

            Okiri stood in the darkness, shaking. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Yay! Over once more! Lots of poor Gohan angst that chapter. I'm so mean to Okiri. Juujen is bad. *glares at Juujuu* Bad, bad Juujuu!  

Next time on Kokuhaku!

_"Where's Krillin? The Namekian?" _

_"They're kind of… frozen right now." _

_"He's dead?" Eighteen pressed in a curt, almost testing tone._

_"Goten, go find your mother. Trunks, you go too."_

_"I believe we had something to finish, didn't we? Goku, I challenge you again- to a fight with my warrior here." _

_The Saiyan's response was immaculate and cold. "I refuse."_

 Coolness. On to reviews!

**Yoheyguy767- **_Would you prefer it be a cliché story line? And I can only throw the background up so quickly. It'll come eventually. _

**Silver Warrior- **_^^ Right on! You got it : ) You get the e-cookie for the week. Wow… Gohan has no social life in this story. Just realized that. o.O _

**Simba-rulz****- _With Babidi's assistance, of course.__ You can never hate Gohan! Except for that one haircut… --; _**

**SSJ5Tigger- **_Dogs are awesome ^^ What has Buu done wrong so far? Actually… He hasn't even shown up yet, so I guess I can't say that --; Adrienne D does write long reviews ^^ But I like reading any review. Milly doesn't like reviews much, does she?_

**DBZ Chick1- **_Like__ KMX said, Movie 1 can't really happen either. I know there were 7 days, but there's still the fact that neither Gohan or Goku were in SSJ. That's what sets it off. Besides, I doubt they would leave Earth alone with Cell! Yay! Movie 9 ^^ Want to see… _

**KMX- **_^^; Nice song.__ Okiri may be a little colder, but he's not EVIL! Course, you didn't say that. He is a little bit mean, too… You'll find out how Babidi did it later. I dunno if Piccolo will even be around Babidi at any point, though. ^^ I already know how I'm gonna conclude that little part, too. Nice suggestion though. I also dunno if Gotenks will come around. You're calling the Supreme Kai a dweeb? ^^ True, true though…_

**Rarity88- **_Wow, really? That's cool. I love it when stories do that, just stick in your mind… Hope I can keep your attention. Powerful!Gohan is cool, when he's Okiri, anyways. *sticks tongue out at Juujen* Juujuu's not being good right now. _

**Ooshii**** Kurai- _S'ok__ ^^ I'm surprised you take the time to read my journal, I don't mind at all if you miss a chapter. Okiri isn't evil! Geez, you're not helping the poor guy right now. He's fending off Babidi, formulating plots, and working against his counterpart, and *now* people are calling him evil. Poor, poor Okiri. Oh well ^^ o.O Soap? Didn't you already soap Mirai in What if? ^^; Poor Gohan. I actually got some of my quotes from www.quoteland.com. Some, later, I got from my own personal books, like Fahrenheit 451 and Stephen King's Skeleton Crew. _**

**Adrienne D- **_Never one to disappoint, are you ^^ I love reading these so much. Actually, that's a decent theory for the Okiri-Juujen thing. But not quite. It was close, but Okiri doesn't really *have* any truly dark ideas. Gohan's extremes are Okiri's extremes. He can't really be much more evil than Gohan is (or rather, was, before the Cell Games) and Gohan was considered just as pure-hearted as Goku. He rode Nimbus, after all. I get into a rant about that in my first Livejournal entry, but that's the gist of it. Your guess was close ^^ _

_Yea, I figure Goku doesn't get anguish often enough. Shin was a bit harsh ^^ Poor Z senshi. Actually, that line does sort of point, but not exactly. Just know this: Everything Shin sees is warped, because as Silver Warrior stated, he doesn't know of Okiri and Juujen. He doesn't *really* know Gohan all that well. All he knows is what he saw in the arena one day. And actually, your comment on Krillin's observation is sort of interesting. I never looked at it that way, but it is a bit of foreshadowing ^^_

_Yea, I just had to throw in Goten and Trunks, because I left them out last chapter. I didn't want to leave them in the dark. And it kinda showed that Goten is protective of Gohan, even though he doesn't know him. I like Trunks' wrestling match, because it's not really based on power, but on emotion. Thus they aren't throwing punches; simply breaking down and scuffling. I look forward to writing it, because it's going to have a lot of mixed emotions involved. _

_I dunno why, I just like movies better when I listen to them in English ^^ I'm not a hard-core fan, what can I say? Go Blockbuster! They only had the edited version but it served its purpose. Movie 8 had it's interesting parts, but as I said, I really do look forward to Movie 9. Goku and Gohan! Mwahaha! Dead Zone still doesn't really fit, though, because everyone knows Gohan. In the first episode of DBZ, which is based after Dead Zone, no one knows him.  _

_Yea! I updated on time! *so proud of self* Hope you enjoyed. Another great review ^^ _

**Alex Ultra- **_Fahrenheit 451… I've read it at least 10 times and it's never lost it's perfection. Ha, Geometry keeps me awake (slightly) but Science puts me right to sleep again. Art doesn't help much, either. _

_You're right, somewhat, on your theory. I like seeing how you guys think my story's going ^^ Yes, Gohan is a puppet, but you still have to remember that Gohan's soul is composed of two main pieces: Okiri and Juujen. If both of them aren't together, they aren't technically Gohan. Haha… Confused yet?_

**Aleandra**** Alyra Sarienna- _I haven't been writing your name out lately o.O Bad me! I don't  have a muse, really, but music would be it if I did. I read about the muses in Latin. They were pretty cruel. Humans would boast they were better, so the muses would propose contests, win (obviously), and bestow cruel rebuke upon the mortals. Not the kindest of deities o.O_**

_^^ I'd prefer to be easily entertained than never be entertained, wouldn't you? Life would be so boring otherwise. ^^ Hehe, I'm a peep. _

_Juujuu__ is now Juujen's accepted name! Sorry, but I was cracking up so hard about that. JUUJUU! Juujuu and Okiri are both alive. How else could Gohan be there? But just how intact they are is to be determined. Or rather… already determined, but oh well. NOOO! Another one blames poor Okiri! Geez, you guys are gonna kill the poor demi, he can only handle so much! *pats poor Okiri on the back* Don't worry Okiri, at least *I'm* on your side. _

_Muse Armaggedon? Ahhh! We're all gonna be killed by LYRES! Or bad music. Horrors. : ) You are insane, AAS!_

**SSJ4-Kitty- **_Any relation to SSJ5Tigger? Just sounds similar ^^; It *is* Gohan. He's right there. Shin just doesn't know that. Bad Shin. _

Wow, lotsa reviews. I'm almost to 100! That's a really scary thought. Poor Okiri. Deemed evil by… *counts*…  4 people! Maybe 5. Iffy. Poor Okiri, though ^^ And here I am, the lone author, calling Juujen evil. BAD JUUJUU! 

            Ok, I had this poll in my journal, guess I'll put it here too. Who's your favorite? Okiri or Juujen? My dog said Juujuu, but I say Okiri. Seems Ooshii said Juujuu too. 

            I love that nickname ^^ Juujuu! Go AAS! Alright, gotta go post this so I can study my personal pronouns *sigh* Evil Latin. Valete! 


	12. Betrayal

Salvete!

            I'm getting good at this weekly chapter thing, aren't I? Well, here's Chapter 12. What more can I say today ^^; My quote today is from the one anime that started it all- Gundam Wing. (ok, it was Sailor Moon, but I hate Sailor Moon now and yet there is still a Deathscythe Hell on my dresser…) I think it actually fits pretty well. What do you guys think?

Disclaimer: I no own, I no own, I no own… 

_((I'm going to kill them… I can't… I will… _No_…)) _

_"Kakkarot, don't freeze you baka!" _

_"It's not Gohan!" _

_Strangely, he reminded Goku of a younger, stronger Chi-chi._

_With that, Gohan faded away. _

_"Have you lost your _mind,_ Kakkarot? Maybe you hit the ground too hard. Let me refresh your memory, baka__. That fighter just tried to take your damned head__off! If that punch had connected with your face, you'd be reuniting with that idiot_ of a Kai right now! How the _hell__ can you actually think__ that that's your brat__ of a son?"_

_"Go ahead, do it again. _I'll kill them nice and slow_…"___

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 12

Betrayal 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**"I've been fighting for the Colony. I should be the only one fighting. No one else should have to go through that." **

**~_Duo Maxwell, Gundam Wing_**

"Uh… Wait… Oh! Goku! Sorry, but by leaving earlier you were disqualified… Ahem…" The announcer decided to cease babbling after receiving several pointed glares from the newly-appeared fighters.

            The android Eighteen stood at the edge of the arena, glancing back in curiosity as she kept an iron hold on two certain un-masked children. She turned, heading towards the trio.

            Needless to say, Goku flinched when he heard the haughty voice. "Where's Krillin? The Namekian?" 

            Goku laughed nervously, trying his best to burn time by turning oh-so-slowly. And yet, he still faced her. Sighing, he resigned himself to his verbal doom. "They're kind of… frozen right now." 

            "He's dead?" Eighteen pressed in a curt, almost _testing _tone.

            "Not… sure. He's petrified." Goku replied cautiously. Calm was usually a sign that a female was about to explode.

            But the blonde did not. She calmly dropped her previous opponents, gave a "hmph", and walked away.

            Goku blinked, not even noticing the mini-version of himself that had attached itself to his waist. Trunks chose to stand calmly 2 feet from his father, arms dangling at his sides as he considered taking one step closer to the so far non-responsive Prince. Upon imagining Vegeta's glare (which was currently leveled on the confused Goku), however, he decided against it and crossed his arms, making an attempt at a scowl. 

            Shin avoided a smile at the chibis' antics. Instead, he spoke in a somber tone, gaining all four's attention. "Babidi will surely plan something soon. Perhaps we should do the-" 

            All three adults were on guard in milliseconds as a sudden wind ripped at their clothes, tiles previously loosened (or shattered) by fights clinking together in protest. Dust rose, verging with the winds on a single point. A swirling dustdevil was born, and it tore at their clothes for a moment before dying with ease. The steadfast form of Gohan was revealed. 

            Trunks slipped into a fighting pose similar to Vegeta's- Goten simply stepped away from his father, staring curiously. One fist was still curled into the bright orange of his father's pant leg. 

            Goku glanced over Gohan; still that eerie, blank, cold expression. But now, a thin crimson line crossed his right cheek, still trickling slightly. 

            Before he could mention this curious fact to Vegeta, he felt Goten press against his leg. Snapping back to reality, he quickly murmured, "Goten, go find your mother. Trunks, you go too." He kept a steady staring contest with his older son. 

            Nodding, the chibi obeyed, waving his best friend over. Trunks followed more reluctantly, but upon earning a stern glare from Goten's father, scurried after. 

            Meanwhile, Babidi droned overhead, "I believe we had something to finish, didn't we? Goku, I challenge you again- to a fight with my warrior here." 

            The Saiyan's response was immaculate and cold. "I refuse." 

            Goten and Trunks stalled momentarily beside the bewildered announcer outside the ring, both turning to face the arena with curiosity. 

            Shin was slightly appalled at Goku's response, and began in a warning tone, "Goku…" 

            Vegeta seemed indifferent, although within his mind he was carefully considering just what might be running through his rival's mind. 

            All three could imagine the sneer running across the wizard's face. "Maybe you would like some incentive, then." 

            With that, Gohan raised his right arm- time seemed to slow down for the two Saiyans as ki began to collect at the demi-Saiyan's fingertips. Goku took an involuntary step back, eyes wide. "No… You…" 

            The blast was launched, hurtling at a speed invisible to the humans in the grandstands. Those humans were suddenly numbering less as the explosion ripped through the wall, incinerating concrete like mere paper.

            Goku stepped forward even as dust masked the arena, fingertips itching to strike, to gather energy and…

            _Gohan… Is this really__ Gohan?_

The Saiyan was snapped from his thoughts when a familiar cry reached his ears. The dust was dissolving; Gohan shone through, still in the same position, arm raised, head forward in an arrogant fashion. 

            But Goku did not notice this- his thoughts were on the chibi hurtling towards his opponent. "Goten! Don't you-" 

            Too late, however- both Goten and Trunks lashed out, landing blows on Gohan's head and torso. Although Goten's blow to his cheek managed to snap his head to the side and cause his arm to fall, Trunks's blow merely assisted the demi-Saiyan's stumble. 

            Then both quickly pulled away, landing in defensive stances mockingly similar to their fathers'. Gohan straightened, ready to attack, ki raised threateningly. 

            "Trunks! Idiot!" Vegeta snarled, stepping forward in a strange show of paternity. 

            Gohan seemed to realize who his attackers were and stood off, scowling, but his eyes showed no spark of anger or distaste. Not even humor. It was as if his eyes were disconnected from the rest of his body…

            His arm rose to give a retaliatory slap, but the teen never followed through. Instead, he found his wrist in a firm grip. 

            Son Goku's eyes were burning with an incomprehensible fury as he spat, "This fight is _mine. But not here." With that, he dropped his hold._

            "Fine." Babidi's voice was satisfied; Goku felt a slight pang of uncertainty upon noticing this, but that emotion was quickly burned away with his own ire. 

            Videl had just broken into the arena when Shin, Vegeta, Goku, and Gohan disappeared over the rim. Upon stopping to view the pandemonium and wreckage of the grandstands, she suddenly found a weight pressing against her waist. "Miss Videl!" 

            "Goten? What… What happened!?" The human questioned softly, still staring at the smoldering rubble. _All those... people… _

"Dad's gonna fight him. What if he loses?" Goten sobbed, head still pressed into her stomach. 

            Before she could comfort, Trunks interrupted, "Dummy! Your dad and mine'll fight him." He eyed the damage and added, "Your brother's crazy. What'd you attack him for? You heard your dad…" 

            "Your dad yelled at you, too, Trunks!" Goten shot back, stepping away from Videl. Some of the menacing force of his words was lost upon the tears still fresh on his cheeks. 

            "I was watching your back!" The half-Saiyan shouted. 

            "Now boys…" 

~*~

            "Ah, that was simple." Babidi muttered, stepping away from the gazing ball. 

            The tall demon behind him stared down with disdain at the four fighters displayed there, departing from the arena. "What if the two Saiyans were to double team Juujen? Would he be killed?" He couldn't avoid the slightly hopeful tone in his voice. 

            "Please. Have more faith. Juujen is much stronger." The wizard snorted.

            "But surely…" 

            "Enough. Come, we've got some reviving to do." 

~*~

            "Come on, we're almost back to the wizard's. Isn't this far enough?" Vegeta growled over the wind, eyes narrowed. 

            Goku shot him a disgusted look before descending; Gohan and the others followed suit. 

            Desert, similar to that surrounding Babidi's ship, encircled them. The sand was broken frequently by menacing, sharp-angled rocks which gave the arid area even more of an unforgiving aura. They had landed in the shade of one such outcropping, and thusly the sun's harsh rays had been diminished. 

            Vegeta smirked. "Looks like where we first fought, Kakkarot." He turned his piercing gaze to the ever-silent Gohan, who stared placidly back. "The _real _gaki would remember that." 

            "He beat you pretty well that time, remember? And he was only 5." Goku added calmly. 

            The older Saiyan's scowl grew at this comment. "That was lucky." Trying to drop the subject, he turned back to their opponent. "Well, brat? Aren't you going to say anything?" 

            Gohan's blank, unresponsive returning gaze only angered him more. "You really are just a-" 

            "What's that?" Goku inquired curiously, eyes snapping to the horizon. 

            "Babidi has begun the summoning spell." Shin muttered despondently. 

            Just as Vegeta considered taking off, his rival was sent crashing to the ground. 

            Goku was immediately back on his feet, hand instinctively wiping away the blood from his mouth. 

            Apparently Gohan had tired of waiting. 

            _Well, guess it's time to start. Feeling the bite of indecision once more, Goku pulled up his own steely resolve. __Think of all the people this fake__ just killed!_

With that, he leapt into SSJ with a yell, launching himself at his assaulter. 

            Shin observed the new battle with cool grimness. _This is my chance… _

            Gohan's head snapped up and he nimbly avoided his father's attack as the Kai took off; before Goku could comprehend what was occurring, a hand had come down at the base of his neck and darkness claimed his vision. 

            Vegeta fell prey next, although he had a bit more understanding of what was going on before he hit the ground. 

            The demi-human straightened and stood, almost contemplatively, beside the two unconscious Saiyans before shooting after his escaped victim.

~*~

            "Well? Where is it?" 

            "Father said it might take a moment. I have faith."

            Dabura gave a jolt as the purple-skinned Kai crashed down in front of him; he glared up with disgust at the adolescent demi-human above. 

            "Good, good Juujen!" Babidi cried, hands on his hips. "You're just in time to see my father's creation!" 

            "But it isn't…" 

            "Silence, Dabura. Look there!" The wizard cried with glee, pointing to the sky. 

            Three heads snapped in that direction. Shin gave a small cry of horror. 

            Majin Buu, in all his roly-poly glory, descended to the earth, chubby cheeks rounded with his ecstatic grin. 

            "Buu! How are you?" Babidi questioned in mock conversation. 

            Bibidi's creation peered at its new comrades. "Who you? Who they?" 

            "I am your new master, the son of Bibidi- I am Babidi. That is your friend Dabura, and that is your friend Juujen." He pointed to each in turn. He then jabbed a finger at the shaking Kai. "That, my dear Buu, is the Supreme Kai. He is bad. Very bad." 

            The wizard stepped forward as Juujen stepped to the side; now at Babidi's back, Dabura observed teenager begin to perform a very strange act… flexing each finger…?

            Buu was still listening to Babidi taunt the petrified Shin; Dabura was the only one to notice Juujen's strange movements. 

            Suddenly the demi-Saiyan looked up, and the demon king gave an involuntary step back when he caught sight of the ire burning within those onyx orbs. "O-Okiri…!?" 

            "_Take this, bastard," the half-breed whispered into his enemy's ear; the demon king prepared to block a blow, but nothing came. _

            _Wait… Where did my staff go?   _

"What… Buu!" Babidi's horrified cry reached Dabura's ears; the wizard whirled on him, eyes burning with anger equal with Okiri's. The demon stared back stupidly. 

            He then lowered his stare to Buu- his staff protruded grotesquely from the creation's stomach. Eyes widening, he turned to Okiri- but the demi-Saiyan stared back as blankly as before, posture bland and unrevealing of any emotion. He was Juujen once more. 

            Buu calmly removed the offending object, tossing it aside. Babidi gave a pleased cry as the hole disappeared within milliseconds. 

            "You attack Buu?" The creation questioned, pointing at the still-confused Dabura. "You no friend. Me no like you!" 

            Juujen, Babidi, and Shin were left speechless as Bibidi's creation quickly projected a string of bright pink light at the dumbfounded demon; Dabura, surrounded by the girlish ray, shrank… and shrank… and shrank…

            Buu quickly gulped down the cookie that had once been the all-mighty demon king. Okiri smirked inwardly. ((That's one down. Krillin and Piccolo should be fine now. I'm lucky Babidi's power slipped like that… Buu was actually _useful_.))

            "He always was a tad jealous…" The wizard stated non-chalantly before facing Buu again. "You really are marvelous! Next let's try the Kai!" 

            "Wait!" Shin cried. The collective Majin stared at him with varying levels of distaste and indifference. The Kai continued in a shakier voice. "B…Babidi… What… How did you get the half-breed?" 

            The wizard's eyes narrowed. "Since when do we give last requests? Well… I guess there's no harm. He was a gift from my father." 

~*~

            "What should we do now?" Bulma inquired shakily. Videl shrugged, whilst Roshi and Ox King continued to fan the fainted Chichi. Goku's wife had awoken a few moments before- only to see her supposedly "dead" son destroy half of the arena. Needless to say, she wasn't conscious for long.

            Goten and Trunks had remained eerily silent since the attack; Videl was more than a little suspicious, but chose to ignore it.

            The teenage girl glanced around the arena- it had cleared out. They were virtually the only ones there. Half of the once grand arena lay in shambles; 18's fight with "Mighty Mask" had created two decent-sized craters in the arena floor, and Trunks's ill-fated match with Hercule had left a nice dent in the arena wall. Videl grimaced at the sight. 

            Speaking of Trunks, what were those two…

            "Huh? Goten? Trunks!? _Get your butts back here!_" She bellowed as the afore-mentioned disappeared into the sky. "_You psycho brats!_" 

            _I can't catch up with them! …Damn…_

~*~

            Shin was slammed into the dirt once more, but this time he made no attempt to rise. Instead, he gave a feeble cough, grimacing at the metallic blood summoned up with this action.

            "Good, good!" Babidi squealed, clapping his hands. "Perhaps we should finish it now?" 

            Although Juujen's dominance kept the demi-human's face blissfully blank, Okiri was reviewing each occurrence with keen pensiveness. ((Buu… He's still making Babidi's control slip. If I could just slip through one more…! There!))

            As Babidi pressed his influence upon Buu, Okiri shot forward with imperceptible speed, snatched up the Kai, and did the one thing he could think of- he threw him. To make this almost crude save believable, he shot a ki blast after; once the battered Shin was a decent distance away, he detonated the blast several meters behind him. The Supreme Kai was barely touched as he plummeted to the forest below, free of Babidi and still somewhat alive.

            Babidi stared, speechless. The entire event had happened in a mere second. But as soon as he regained his comprehension, he was irate. "What the… Why did you do that!?" In his anger, he forgot Juujen couldn't- wouldn't- respond. Given the chance, his mind reminded him of this fact. Growling, he shook his head. "I wanted to make him _suffer!_ You _ruined it!"_

            Okiri was slightly taken aback when he found himself fully in control of his own body. He regained his posture, however, and glared at the toad-like creature. "He's _dead_, isn't he?" 

            "You killed him too _soon!_ I didn't tell you to, either!" Babidi shouted back.

            ((Damn… If he knows I slipped through…)) But instead of showing his uncertainty, he quickly shouted back, "Why would _I _want him dead!?"

            Babidi opened his mouth to respond, considered, and closed it again. After a moment of heated silence (in which Buu blinked curiously), the wizard barked, "Enough of this. You've gotten too cocky lately!" 

            Okiri scowled at this comment, curiosity voicing itself with his suspicion. ((With Dabura gone, how could he…)) His eyes suddenly chose to land on Majin Buu, and a single word escaped. ((Damn.))

            "About time for that test match, too…" Babidi grinned, stepping aside so that both fighters were face to face. 

            The demi-Saiyan panicked slightly as the monstrosity stepped forward; electricity sparked as the golden aura of SSJ2 bloomed around his form. Babidi grinned. "Now, now…" 

            "Wha-… No!" Okiri's eyes widened as the energy drained from his limbs, transformation now nullified. He stared with shock at the wickedly grinning toad. ((He's in more control of me than I thought…)) Charcoal eyes lifted to meet Buu's, mind nearly numb with the creation's towering energy. ((Oh…))

~*~

            "Ve…Vegeta…?" Goku sat up woozily, rubbing the back of his neck. 

            "Hn." The Prince was already standing, eyeing the western horizon with his arms crossed. 

            "Are we going to fight them?" Goku inquired tentatively, obviously referring to the many ki clustered to the west. 

            Vegeta shot him a glare. They both knew the answer. 

            "We might lose." The younger Saiyan added softly. 

            "I can't feel the brat right now. All we have to fight is Buu and Babidi." He scowled. "The Kai is gone." 

            "If they killed Shin… Maybe they…" 

            "Kakkarot." 

            The still-pondering Saiyan glanced up, only to feel a slight sting in his arm; before he could even recall his phobia of needles, his movements were slowing… eyes… slowly… closing…

            Vegeta caught and deposited his rival, glancing at the miniscule hypodermic needle which rested in his palm. _Knew this would come in handy. _He patted his pocket, where a capsule pack tinkled gently in response. _The woman had a right idea, with this first aid kit. At least she's good for _something. 

            The Saiyan glanced at his younger counterpart once more. _He would've interfered. This was the only way…  He suddenly voiced his thoughts aloud to the dust and rock, muttering, "Would've done it the conventional way, but…," the prince rubbed the back of his neck, "…I think we've had enough of that." _

            With a smirk, he crushed the needle within his fist. "Not a word about this, Kakkarot. Now… Let's see just how powerful you really are, Majin…" 

            Gold radiance burst around him, and soon he had disappeared over the rocks. All that remained was the harsh, anhydrous air and the brush of sharp dust against Goku's unresponsive skin. The Saiyan flinched as the particles bit at his skin with vigor, face twisted in some foreign discomfort…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Wow! That one was long! I wrote 15 pages yesterday ^^ So happy! I need to keep going, though o.O I'm coming up fast on the end of my main files… I'm gonna speed things up a little here. 

            But wait! 

            First…

            **_**100 REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_**

****

            I'm so happy *sniff, sniff* I never thought I'd see the day. Thankies for all the reviews!!!!! You guys rock!!! 

_"What a pity. I was hoping I wouldn't have to see your hideous visage again. You call that a face? I swear I saw someone throw something up just like that the other day…"_

_Vegeta fought on. The wind continued to blow. And the Sons continued to sleep._

_Goku glanced down, to see if maybe there was neon earth or something equally strange to be noted. Well, there was something strange… _

_            The grass was wafting _through_ his feet. _

_A life__._ That was a _**life.**_

Hehe. Confusing. Sorry it took me so long to get these up, confusement in the beta area an I didn't get the chapters till this afternoon. Blame it on Hotmail, it messed up the e-mails *scowl*

Reviewers! Woot!

**Silver Warrior- **_Well, he's probably been training pretty hard for the past 7 years, so yeah, he's pretty darn strong. Shout-outs are fun ^^ I dunno how they'll reach him *mischievous laugh.* Guess you'll have to find out. _

**SSJ4-Kitty- **_^^; I've got siblings reviewing, now? Interesting. Shin isn't stupid, he's just… inexperienced o.O Yep, poor Gohan. He should go on strike from my stories. Nothing good ever happens to him. _

**Cute_kitty****- _Another kitty?__ Geez. Woot! Okiri has a point! _**

**Random Person- **_Congratulations, 100th reviewer! *hands anonymous person e-cookie*_

**SSJ5Tigger- **_Buu's__ here now, in all his chubby glory. Oh joy. Up, Milly! Delete the review like my evil Internet Conquistador does at times. Aw, don't diss Kitty ^^; _

**Elmer Fudd- **_Thanks, Elmer. Caught that wabbit yet?_

**KMX- **_Wow, that's long. I'm just going to go down to the paragraph part. I suck at humor, so thus I do not write them. I also have seen too many the-hero-wins-all-the-time crap on TV, so I try to at least make the main character struggle a bit (ha, a bit --;) You don't want to see my weak attempts at humor. I can' t think of a way to carry humor through, anyhow. For an epic? Geez. _

_If I wrote random battles here and there, like the match between 18 and some random other guy, people would get *bored.* It's easier to stick to the storyline, have a point for everything. Stories would go on forever if you wrote on every pointless match you could think up. Hell, if I did that, I could go on about how that one mosquito fought to penetrate Vegeta's skin before he was squished into little buggy bits for twenty minutes. It's called monotony. It would get very, very, _very_ boring. DBZ has its serious underlying themes, you know. Piccolo, Vegeta, etc. It may not be as obvious, and it has some humor sprinkled over top, but the toll of everything that occurs shows on all the characters. There are enough bland, random enemy battles in the fanfiction circulation. What's the point in furthering it?_

_I also avoid battling because… truthfully… I hate writing fight scenes. I stink at them. And a lot of the fights in DB, DBZ, etc. are simply brute strength and some strategy. Emotional battles break away from this for once. This is fanfiction, so anyone can do whatever they want, and I guess I shouldn't rag on you. This is just the way I do it, and dragging out fight scenes is how you do it. It's the spice of life, right? _

_Did you really see something else about Gohan having a split soul? I think I might've, too. But I've never read a story about them really manifesting themselves. I believe I saw a manga on Chelsee's site once along those lines… But I have an interesting concept behind the whole split-soul thing. It'll be revealed way, way in the future o.O_

_I am yet to get Writer's Block, I always have an idea or two to jot down. Sometimes I get lethargic when it comes to stories though. I'll lose interest in them, and then it'll heat up again when I start working on them. It's weird that way. Good tip, though ^^ Go Juujuu! Run away, Juujuu and Okiri! My poor schizophrenic Gohan. _

**Rarity 88- **_Chalk up another point for Okiri! Yay! Go Okiri! Yea, read some of your LJ (as you most likely know) *so jealous of your background*_

**Aleandra**** Alyra Sarienna- _*facevault* You weren't doing that on purpose? Woot, Okiri has another point? Okiri 4, Juujen 1 --; Poor Juujuu. _**

_Hmm…__ My muse… What shall I call her? The Greek term for the muse of music is Terpischore. I guess I'll have to think on it, __Linkin__Park__ just doesn't seem like the right name for a muse o.O _

_Aw, I don't mind you misspelling his name. We got a cool nickname out of it, right?_

_Juujen__: You spelled it WRONG! UNINTENTIONALLY! *bursts into tears* No one knows my name, or votes for me…_

_Okiri__: Don't worry, Juujuu, at least you get the Wooden Spoon Award._

_Juujen__: I HATE YOU! It's all your fault that I'm a Majin!  _

_Okiri__: *grins* _

_*blink* That's the first time I've written what my characters are saying. *sigh* It's starting…_

_Say hi to Sigmund Freud for me.   _

**Gohan00- **_*So proud of self* I am updating on a weekly basis! It's so amazing!_

**Simba-rulz****- _Didn't vote, huh? Punk. I'll put in a loser point for Juujen. (*Juujuu glares daggers*) I am mean to Okiri. Teehee. _**

**DBZ Chick1- **_Yup.__ Update. Cool, huh? _

**The Kirby Dude- **_*sweatdrop* Didn't get it all out of your system the first time? Windows K.O.O.P.A. would rock, by the way. Great song ^^; _

**Ooshii**** Kurai- _^^; Beware, all anime characters, when Ooshii Kurai gets her hands on Ivory Spring.__ It is a scary sight. Lol ^^ This was the cutest review. Ah! You're strangling Gohan! (*Juujuu and Okiri stare, eyes wide, and suddenly thankful that their authoress doesn't glomp very often*) _**

**Adrienne D- **_*facevault* 5 seconds after I post my chapter, I find your review in my e-mail box. Go figure! _

_I didn't think it was insane. It was a good way to look at it ^^ I think it's cool that people are trying to analyze and figure out what's occurring here ^^ Okiri is my favorite, but I have a fetish for the lone warriors. Yes, they are both interesting in their own right, but I believe I will show more of Okiri than Juujen. Okiri just… shows himself more. Juujen is the quiet, human one. _

_AH! You are the second person to point that out. So sorry ^^; That's a really big problem there. But I have a feasible explanation, I promise. With Buu's help, Dabura would probably toss in the final blow, once Buu had weakened them. At least, this was what Babidi had in mind. And Dabura had it in mind, too, when he commented to Okiri before leaving. Yea, sorry bout that, but there's my half-assed excuse --; _

_I was rather nervous about that sequence, to tell the truth. The fight between Vegeta and Pui Pui was really, really short, as you noticed. But I didn't feel like pointless dialogue and the extended time as Babidi switched the battlefields like the series. Besides, I wanted to change the fight a little bit, at least. Good observation on Shin ^^_

_True, Babidi's comment did relate like that. I was afraid the hand-waving might go over some heads, but now that I look at it, it was rather blunt, so what's there to worry about, huh? ^^; Yup, never hold back the angst. That's where the fun is. I think Goku and Gohan are probably on equal angst terms right now ^^; Gohan more so, because he's already weighing out Piccolo and Krillin's stony state and, ha, now he gets the joy of knowing he killed all those people at the tournament. Poor Gohan. _

_Well, what can we say? Okiri's a rebel ^^ He can't give up. But later, you'll see just how much wear this has had on him. Yep, it will take more than Okiri, too. Poor Goku ^^ He gets lots of false hopes. Wow… that's gonna culminate. _

_Well, Dabura and Gohan rivalry has been going on for 7 years. The climax was rather short, but hey, Okiri won. And Dabura became cookie dough. Yay Okiri! Ha, tension… More like fires of hell multiplied by ten. But like I said, kinda anti-climatic. But it ended happily, for Okiri at least. _

_I don't mind ^^ I'd be dead if I was that busy. I'm laid back. This review rocked, I was so glad to read it. I've been waiting all week ^^ Ah, Adrienne D, one of those neat little highlights of my week. Hypothesizing rocks, too ^^ Thankiesthankiesthankies!!! _

            *gasp, pant* Wow. That took awhile. Watch this file get freakishly deleted now. My computers getting adept at that, lately. Adrienne D came! I posted this chapter, and then went to my inbox to find the review, so I ran back to shove this in. Geez. Complications. 

            Alrighties, I'm gonna go ^^ Until next time! Valete!

            *seconds of silence*

            Juujen: *tentatively* Is she gone…? 

            Okiri: Yep! Now for some backstage revenge…

            Babidi: *changing out of stage costume* *freezes, and blinks slowly* …Why do I get the feeling I should get the hell out of here? 


	13. Will o wisp

Hola!

            Lucky chapter 13 ^^ Woot. 

            Disclaimer: I no own, I no own… 

            Last time…

_            ((That's one down. Krillin and Piccolo should be fine now. I'm lucky Babidi's power slipped like that… Buu was actually _useful_.))_

_"Wha-…__ No!_" Okiri's eyes widened as the energy drained from his limbs, transformation now nullified. He stared with shock at the wickedly grinning toad. ((He's in more control of me than I thought…)) Charcoal eyes lifted to meet Buu's, mind nearly numb with the creation's towering energy. ((_Oh_…))__

_With a smirk, he crushed the needle within his fist. "Not a word about this, Kakkarot. Now… Let's see just how powerful you really are, Majin…" _

_            Gold radiance burst around him, and soon he had disappeared over the rocks. All that remained was the harsh, anhydrous air and the brush of sharp dust against Goku's unresponsive skin. The Saiyan flinched as the particles bit at his skin with vigor, face twisted in some foreign discomfort…_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 13

Will-o-wisp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"Nothing from nowhere, I'm no one at all  
Radiate, recognize one silent call  
As we all form one dark flame... Incinerate…" **

**~_AFI, Miseria Cantare (The Beginning)_**

"Hmph." Vegeta let out a disgusted grunt as his two adversaries appeared over the ridge, Babidi using his father's creation as a mode of transportation. 

            "Well, well, I thought I'd run into you eventually." Babidi shouted over the wind, face displaying feint surprise. 

            "What a pity. I was hoping I wouldn't have to see your hideous visage again. You call that a face? I swear I saw someone throw something up just like that the other day…" 

            "Shut up! _Buu__! Go!" _

            "Aren't we the loyal puppy dog?" The Prince snapped, sidestepping as the creation shot past; he was given a nasty shock, however, as Buu's jelly-like arm extended, wrapping around his neck and tossing him to the ground. 

            Pulling himself to his knees, he dusted soiled clothes off. Time for a _real _battle.

            It never crossed his mind to question where, exactly, Babidi's two other followers had gotten to. One lay in Buu's stomach. The other was mockingly similar to Goku- oblivious, pelted by dust and yet unresponsive. 

            Vegeta fought on. The wind continued to blow. And the Sons continued to sleep.

~*~

            It was dark. 

"Where the heck am I…?" 

            The only response was the soft rustling of grass stalks. 

            "Whoa." 

            It was as if a light had just been thrown on; to Goku's immense surprise, he now stood in the center of a grassy plain, but there was one problem- the grass was _purple. Obviously, this was not Earth. However, the Saiyan could not recall ever being on such a planet before. _

            The sky above him was a murky blue, sprinkled liberally with glimmering stars. No moon shone above, but there was still plenty of light, enough to display the dark stalks that danced with the wind. 

            Goku glanced down, to see if maybe there was neon earth or something equally strange to be noted. Well, there _was_ something strange… 

            The grass was wafting _through_ his feet. 

            With a loud yelp, the Saiyan stumbled backwards, tripping over his own feet and landing flat on his back. He promptly gave up with protesting, as there seemed no point to announce to this empty place that vegetation was passing through his limbs. 

            He stared at the star-strewn ocean above him, blandly noting the fact that purple stalks were now waving teasingly through his head. He felt them touch his skin; but he felt nothing as they passed through him. It was quite strange. 

            "Where _am I? This is the worst dream I've ever had. No food or anything!" Self-assured that no one was around, Goku felt quite comfortable with talking aloud to himself. Not that it would stop him if anyone was around, anyways. _

            This dream actually wasn't that bad, now that he thought about it… He felt at peace, for the first time in awhile. He could almost forget about the tournament, and the Majin, and Gohan…

He lounged for several seconds, pondering, curious as to when he would wake up from this boring landscape. All there was to hear was the rustling of grass. 

            And breathing…

            "What?" Goku sat up, glancing about in curiosity. There was no need to be on edge; this was a dream, after all.

            He could've _sworn _he'd heard someone's breathing. 

            Charcoal eyes fell upon a figure within the grass… 

~*~

            Goku's chibi look-alike peeked curiously over the jagged rock. "Why's your dad fighting?" 

            "I dunno… Where's _your _dad?" Trunks replied, raising an eyebrow at his younger friend. 

            Goten shrugged empathetically. He turned back to the battlefield, and shoved out one small finger. "Look- your dad's losing…" 

            "Nuh-uh! He's just… um… letting Buu gain a little bit, and then he's gonna surprise him with a big attack!" 

            The younger chibi blinked. "But he's on the ground now. Look, he can't move." 

            "He'll attack any minute now…" Trunks continued to push insistently, although he too felt the beginnings of worry spreading in his throat. 

            "Trunks- maybe we should help." 

            "…"

            "_Trunks…" _

            "Fine, let's go get that ugly monster!" Boldly rising to his feet, he burst into Super Saiyan. "We'll teach him for messing with my dad!"  

            Grinning, Goten leapt to his feet, hair flaming gold to match his best friend's. In true Saiyan fashion, both boys felt immediately relieved at the thought of taking action… 

            The demi-Saiyans gave surprised shouts, however, as they found themselves pulled back by two green hands. 

            Trunks, pushed to the ground in his unprepared state, leapt up upon spotting the person who had interrupted. "Piccolo! Where have you been?" 

            "You two aren't getting in to this. You wouldn't stand a chance." 

            "But Piccolo…" Both boys whined. 

            The Namekian shot them a warning glare. 

            Annoyed, the boys turned back to the fight, returning to their normal state.

            Piccolo gave a pleased smirk. Even if he _was_ weaker, he could still stop demi-Saiyans in their tracks.  

            Krillin, standing to the side, scratched his head idly. "Don't I get a greeting?" 

~*~ 

            Joy, thought, love, peace, happy, scared, dark, _alone_, afraid, cold, hungry, warmth, compassion, purpose, frozen, split, death, _death, death, annoyed, hurt, frightened, lost, betrayed, sorrow, anger, mission, fight, boldness, heroism, __scared, running, peace, surprise, fear, surprise, love, warmth, fight, fear, _fear_, fear, warmth, love, fear, fight, hurt, pain, death, __death, exhaustion, sorrow, horror, fight, fight__, fear…. _elation_… **_death_… **_

            Goku found himself stumbling backwards once more, head clutched in his hands as a low moan escaped his throat. All these _thoughts,_ all these _emotions_- it was as if a _life were running through his mind! _

            A life, a life full of pain and happiness and fear and joy and love… and loneliness… **_loneliness_… **

            …And then it stopped. 

            Blinded eyes cleared, hands fell limply to their places at his sides once more. He gathered a shaky breath. 

            A _life_. That was a **_life._**

            But whose? 

            He started towards the figure in the grass once more. 

            _Gohan._

~*~

            "Vegeta…?" 

            "I know what I must do. Get them the hell out of here." The Saiyan Prince had never been so resolute in his life. A life of uncertainty. 

            Buu, nearby, blinked stupidly. Vegeta cast a look toward his final opponent. 

_Certainty.__ He knew, for once, he _knew _what and when and how- how he was going to defeat this enemy and prove that he was the ultimate Saiyan. _

            And save his family. 

            Piccolo cast a wary glance around. The whole scene was rather confusing. Babidi had disappeared from sight; Gohan and Dabura were not to be found. He assumed Dabura was dead, since he was no longer petrified. But now was not the time for such thoughts. He carefully cradled the two unconscious boys as he gave a final, resolute nod to the Saiyan Prince and took to the air. 

            It was rather difficult to believe all that had happened thus far. 7 years of peace and normalcy were reduced to ashes in a few hours of insane happenings. And Piccolo _still _didn't know where Goku was. 

            "What's he doing?" Krillin inquired with curiosity, taking young Trunks within his arms. 

            "He's doing the only thing that we can do right now. Something I never believed I'd see…" Piccolo growled, eyes narrowed in thought. It was truly unbelievable. 

            "Wha-…" The human's insistent questioning was cut off with his own surprised shout; a ball of pure ki, incomprehensible in size, gathered to the west. 

            Piccolo imagined that he could hear the Saiyan Prince's last victorious cry, and see Buu's shell-shocked expression. 

            With that, a final shockwave rolled over them both, and they tumbled to the ground below. 

~*~

            "Gohan." Goku could think nothing else. It was _him. It was __Gohan. In the flesh. His innocent, 11-year-old son, slept peacefully before him. _

            Gohan, Gohan, _the_ Gohan he had missed for so long… It wasn't the murdering teenager. It was _Gohan. The son. The hero. The little, innocent, laughing boy…_

            He noted, ruefully, that the grass blades did not attempt to pass through the young boy.

            Suddenly, the boy was on his feet, alert, glancing back and force nervously. Goku was suddenly astounded by the realism of this dream. He could _feel the wind brushing against his skin. _

            Wait. His hair wasn't moving. _Gohan's _was. 

            "I'm… feeling… what _Gohan's_ feeling," Goku stated, eyes comically wide. He reached down and touched a grass stem. His hand passed through. 

            Gohan reached down and touched a grass stem. Goku's hand tingled in response. 

            "This is way too bizarre." 

            ((This is way too bizarre.)) 

            "Wha-!?" 

            Goku leapt back several meters, staring at the boy before him. He had just _heard Gohan within his __mind. It was like talking through King Kai… but there was no King Kai. _

            "Are you… mirroring me?" Goku questioned aloud. After all, every move he had made so far, Gohan had followed. 

            Gohan plucked a grass blade from its stem, straightened, and twirled the fragile purple plant between his fingers. Goku's hand tingled, not _exactly as he would imagine a grass stem to feel, but simply the ghost of such a movement. _

            ((Juujen- so you're back.)) 

            ((You shouldn't have panicked like that. Look where you've gotten us! That weird lady killed us- again.)) 

            ((So what? Are we in spiritual limbo?))

            ((Got me, Okiri.))

            ((You're worthless.)) 

            ((I'll take that as a "I missed you so much.")) 

            ((You would. Humans…)) 

            ((Saiyans…)) 

            Goku blinked. "Ok… I guess he's _not_ mirroring me. This is one bizarre dream. What's all this Okiri-Juujen stuff? Why does each one sound different?" 

            ((So… how was the fight?)) 

            ((Smalltalk is wasted with you, Juujen. Don't even try.)) 

            ((Why do you always have to be so-)) 

((We've got company.)) 'Okiri' stated coldly. 

            ((…Right… No time for pausing this time. Bring it together.)) 

            ((Never thought I'd hear that from _you._))

            At this, 'Juujen' muttered an unintelligible (and most likely unsavory) response. 

            Goku felt completely and utterly confused. But he didn't mind it so much; he was standing next to his 11-year-old son, and dream or not, he was savoring it. 

He turned, just as Gohan did; he felt the ghost of fabric brush against his skin. 

            He then did a double take. "Dabura…?" 

            Sure enough, there stood the demon king in all his glory, smirk plastered across his face. He looked slightly younger, and a lot cockier- Goku couldn't quite place _why _this was so. However, Dabura's voice was as despicable as ever. "_You_ are what we've been waiting for?" 

            Gohan dropped into a fighter's position, face grim. The boy's voice echoed across the plain, this time in its familiar tone, not that of "Okiri" or "Juujen." "You've been waiting for _me?" Goku had to admit, that familiar, warm voice, his _real_ son's voice, was music to his ears. _

            And then, Goku heard the voice he least wanted to hear. Babidi, that wretched toad, stepped out from behind his loyal servant. "Well? How is he Dabura? Is he all that Father said he would be?" The wizard was quivering with excitement. 

            _Father?__ Could Bibidi have set it up? Goku was forced to wonder. _That whole little coup in Hell was the work of Babidi's father?  __

            _Just how long did they have their eyes on Earth? _

_            On Gohan…?_

            "_Please, master. It is a mere boy. Look at him. He wouldn't stand a chance against me. __Pui__ Pui could take him on." _

            Goku was slightly surprised at Gohan's patience throughout this whole exchange; he simply stood his ground, bent in a defensive position, eyes curious yet posture steadfast. Had it been Vegeta, he would've been standing straight with his arms crossed and a look of contempt upon his face.

            Had it been Goku, he would've been rubbing the back of his head in the classic Son expression of confusion. He blinked, realizing he was doing this; laughing nervously, he dropped his hand to his side and pulled on a serious expression once more. 

            Dabura wasn't done yet. "I think your father's gone senile in all his years in Hell. The only thing that's keeping him sane is that female follower of his." 

            "I resent that. Well, _I _don't doubt Father. Bring him to the ship once you're done." Pompous as ever, Babidi strode away, mockingly short when shrouded in the tall grasses. 

            "Are you done talking about me like I don't exist?" Gohan inquired blandly, eyes half-lidded. A demi-Saiyan could only take so much.

            Dabura bowed in his regal manner, completely ignoring the boy's sarcastic comment. "My master wishes to take you as a student." 

            "Sounds like a slave to me." 

            "Maybe so." Dabura raised an eyebrow, rising from his bow. "But I am quite satisfied with my position. And I have served him for decades." 

            "I have no desire to be a loyal slave of a toad," The demi-Saiyan replied waspishly, glaring daggers at the taller being. 

            "You do not wish to come peacefully? So be it. Bibidi may have made a bad choice, but I _will_ get whatever my master wants." 

            Gohan threw both hands up just in time to block a well-dealt blow; a tingle resounded through Goku's forearms. Then both warriors were in the air; Gohan dodging, attacking, blocking, Dabura a blur of offensive attacks. 

            "He's not strong enough right now." Goku realized, eyes wide. "He's not nearly up to Dabura's level, unless he becomes SSJ2- and he couldn't do it back then…" 

            His dark foretelling was proven correct. The Saiyan flinched slightly as his entire body tingled; Gohan was thrown facedown in the dirt, Dabura's knee driven sharply into his back. The demon's clawed hands twisted both arms painfully behind his back. 

            Gohan's heavy breathing resounded across the quiet field. Then Dabura leaned close, only so Gohan could hear; however, Goku found that the whisper resounded through his mind, as well. "You are no match for _me." _

((How the hell did we lose?))

            An elbow was driven into the demi-Saiyan's neck; as inky black claimed both Sons' vision, Goku was left with the image of his son, charcoal eyes wide in shock, breath coming in short huffs. 

            Then it was gone. 

~*~

            "Damn…" Krillin muttered, rising shakily to his feet. Piccolo, a few yards away, shook dust from his cloak.

            The former monk eyed the settling dust cloud far in the distance. "Vegeta… I never thought you could be so…" 

            "Selfless?" Piccolo supplied. 

            Krillin nodded, looking to the purple-haired boy within his arms. Trunks slept on calmly. "I mean… I've never seen Vegeta show emotion like that before." 

            Piccolo did not comment. He hefted Goten to a more comfortable position, eyeing the destruction of Vegeta's last stand once more.

            It was unsettling for human and Namekian alike.  

            "Where did Babidi ever get off to?" Krillin finally inquired curiously, trying his best to get his mind off the latest happenings. 

            "You think I'd leave the fun so soon?" 

            Both fighters froze at that despised voice, and Piccolo whirled upon the wizard with a snarl. "You bastard, you should be dead in that blast just like-" 

            "Majin Buu!" Krillin cried, unintentionally finishing the Namekian's sentence. Before Earth's former Kami could react, the demi-Saiyan had been ripped from his arms by the said creation and both Krillin and Piccolo found themselves falling to their knees. 

            "Go…ten…" Piccolo muttered softly, before collapsing into a deep sleep. 

            Babidi cracked his fingers before wiggling them teasingly at the snoozing trio. "Good old sleeping spell. Works every time." He turned to his bubble-gum-pink companion, grinning broadly. "I still got it! Don't you agree?" 

            "What we do with boy?" 

            "You'll find out soon. For now, let's go find out what's going on with the dear denizens of Earth."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Was it good? Utterly horrible? o.O 

            Wow, I'm tired tonight ^^; My Latin class was really hyper today. Hehe. I like having a hyper class with a hyper teacher to match. 

            Wow, I can't believe I've got almost 130 reviews. That is so scary o.O I'm so glad you guys like this story ^^ Hopefully I'll continue work on it till it's finished. 

            I posted the beginning of my new story in my Livejournal, acerbus_instar. It's linked on my a/n if you want to read it. Just scroll down a little bit. 

Next chapter… 

_"I'm ready this time." _

_"If you hope light tricks will save you, you are dreadfully mistaken."_

_"I plan to make him much stronger." _

_            "Not stronger than yourself, I'm sure." Babidi replied smoothly. _

_            Dabura chose not to respond. _

_            Goku paused, eyebrow raised in curiosity. What was with this place? It seemed to be intent on bringing Gohan to his knees. _

_            Of _course_ that was what they wanted. _

_            A weak Gohan was much easier for Babidi to control then a strong one…_

_            Shaking his head, the Saiyan started after his son, heart suddenly much heavier. _

            Yay ^^ Mind's blank tonight, for some odd reason. --; I'm just gonna move on to reviews. 

**Silver Warrior- **_Babidi__, but yea ^^ Bibidi's kinda locked up in HFIL right now. Well, it's not a matter of Gohan seeing them. Okiri is conscious of everything that happens. But he can't really break past Babidi's power except when Babidi himself is distracted. I dunno if anyone has a chance  ^^_

**SSJ5Tigger- **_Buu__ is cool, cool, cool… Sugar ray, teehee. Aw, at least you get reviews. Then again, everything gets a review on this site. Except for those rare few below even flaming level. O.o Those scare me. _

**Aleandra**** Alyra Sarienna- _Ah! No! Anything but the muses!_**

_Juujen__: *zombie-voice* Yes, give in, Shadowphoenix…_

_Babikini__: Hehe. I get to speak!_

_Okiri__: *playing the hero* *punts Babikini away* STUPID WIZARD! Juujuu! No zombie! *snaps fingers like Babikini* *Juujuu freezes* Hehe. I can do magic! _

_--;; I'm scarred for life. _

_Sigmund Freud was a ground-breaking psychologist. You mentioned you were going to the looney bin, after all ^^_

_I got quotes at Quoteland.com (wow, how complicated)_

_Poor Juujuu.__ Don't laugh o.o He killed all those people at the tournament, after all…_

_Juujen__: It was all Babakini! I swear! (*evil snicker*)_

_Aw, Okiri and Juujuu double teamed you? ^^ Poor AAS. _

_O.o__ YOU KILLED BABAKINI! NOOOOOO!_

**DBZ Chick1- **_Okiri__ isn't the "original" Gohan, technically. He's just not influenced by Babidi like Juujen is. He's 100% Saiyan attitude ^^; _

**Simba-rulz****- _o.O__ geez, it's just a frame of Gohan's mind. ^^; He's not dead. Just out of the picture. For awhile. Poor Juujuu. _**

**Rarity88- **_Yay__, Okiri 4, Juujuu 2._ Woot. Yea, your background rocks ^^ I'd have to see if I could find a decent background, though. o.O; too lazy ^^__

**Ooshii**** Kurai- _--; Poor Vegeta._ No Kenshin this time? Hehe, he ran away ^^ Smart Kenshin. Thankies ^^; Don't soap Vegeta to death. How will he ever become your muse?__**

**Adrienne D- **_^^ I never really looked into the Krillin/18 thing that far, but yes, I suppose you can look at it that way (--;;; Glorifying a really simplistic story o.o). I just get frustrated with some writings where they switch exactly from one scene to the other and leave the minor characters out sometimes. Besides, like you said, chance to make Goku squirm ^^_

_I'm sorry about the slightly messed up scene there when Gohan was appearing. General idea was, as Babidi's magic moved Gohan in (kinda like I.T.), a small wind storm picked up from the disturbance in nature itself. So, dust was picked up and swirled in the center just as Gohan appeared and, when Babidi's magic stopped, the dust settled. ^^; It could've been much clearer. So sorry! I'll try to rewrite that, put it on my oh-so-long to do list for my stories…_

_Oi__ ^^ Big paragraph._ Okie dokies… Yea, I guess they would be pretty surprised, wouldn't they? Heh. That would be amusing, I think ^^ If you think about how Babidi presses the exact right buttons, though, you've gotta remember he's seen into Gohan's mind and he thus knows what Goku's peeves are. Like killing people. That was the bad part of this: Goku is beginning to think it's *not* Gohan. That's bad, because he is, pretty much. That's why I feel so sorry for Goku this fight o.O There *is* no black and white here. Usually it's this guy is bad, we are good, we must kill the bad guy. But here, they don't know quite what is what. Not a good situation ^^; People I feel sorriest for in this story: Goku, Okiri (and Juujen, for that matter), and Goten. They all kinda get the bad side of things. Well, Goten's troubles haven't quite started yet. But they most likely will… Poor Goten --;. Back to your review, though. Yes, pretty much, Goku seeing someone (even if it *was* Gohan) attack Goten is the last straw. Especially after said person just killed hundreds of people. Not a good situation if you're unprepared for a p.o.ed Goku o.O Yes, Vegeta's main train of thought there was that Kakkarot was insane and needed to- well- sleep on it ^^; He wouldn't be much help in battle, anyway, if he was in such a state. Yep. Goku's goin' down pretty fast. __

_Okiri__ always has a little influence (ha, slim to none, most of the time) but when Babidi is controlling Buu he has a bit more leeway. That's most likely why he restrained himself. Besides, like he froze up in the arena- Gohan's soul itself simply cannot kill Goku o.O_

_Haha__ ^^ Believe me, I was very, very glad when I got to write Dabura's demise. You haven't seen it yet, but darn, he deserved what he got. Stupid demon *scowls* Such a pain. Poor Okiri needs as much satisfaction as he can get o.O After all, he's been silently fighting his own body for the past 5 years. Not the most fun of jobs. _

_Postulating- sounds like Geometry --; I hate math. *sighs* Babidi may not explain it completely, but a while (long while) later it'll be explained in one huge, drawn out speech I already dread. Long dialogue *shudders* So monotonous. _

_Goten__ and Trunks's role are yet to be determined ^^ But Goten is gonna have a little change of character after *this* fight. I suppose everyone will. Trunks's "wrestling match…" Well, it's after Goku's dream. So we got a ways to go. A few chapters, perhaps. 5 or 6. Yea, poor Okiri. He may be a very strong being, but Babidi is a strong magician, and that's one field none of the Z fighters have experience in…_

_Glad I made your day a little better ^^ I love it when I can come home from a boring day to a nice, long chapter of my favorite story. Refreshing, no? Thankies for yet another fantabulous review ^^ You should get a golden award for these, cause wow, I'm yet to get anyone else so faithful and informative at the same time. Go Adrienne ^^_

**KMX- **_I can see what you mean about random battles. We all have our different styles ^^ No offense, hopefully. Hehe. I was fiery last chapter. _

_Yes, I suppose practice would help o.O I need lots and lots of practice. Guess I'll just have to pinpoint exactly how I want them to be. It just seems my fighting scenes always come up short. Go figure. _

_Split-personality… Oh well, if it's been around, it's been around ^^It's fun to write, and that's all that really matters, right? _

_o.O_ Sorry, but I'm really tired tonight ^^ Can't really read through the rest… But thankies. I like having debates with people. __

Wow. Just got back from seeing Matrix Revolutions (Again ^^) and I'm dog tired, so I'm gonna post this and collapse. I can't get up Serendipity…. Too tired… 

            Okie dokies ^^ I hope you enjoyed. I so love you guys' reviews ^^ I hope I replied fully enough. So many reviews… *beaming* Hehe, so great… *Dozes off* 

            Juujuu: WOOT! She's gone again! 

            Okiri: Shh, you'll wake her up… *tiptoes to the computer*

            Shadow: *snoozes on*

            Okiri: *grabs floppy* Yes! Got it!

            Juujuu: Got what? 

            Okiri: Look! Haha! Those changes she was going to make on part two!

            Juujuu: *pales* There's a part two?

            Okiri: Part three, too. 

            Juujuu: Wow… Part three… That's like… 17 years as a Majin. 

            *Both blink* 

            *In unison*: 17 YEARS!?

            Shadow: *emerges behind them* And you're only in year 7…

            *both faint* 


	14. Chattel

Hiya!

            Woah, I almost forgot today was Friday. Thanksgiving threw me off. Ok, it's 1:00 in the morning, I'm just gonna throw this up ^^; Am I doing something wrong or something? Because my spacing is really random. Sometimes it indents, sometimes it doesn't. Go figure. Evil HTML. It's beyond me. 

Disclaimer: I do not own/am not affiliated with DBZ, evil FUNi, or Ray Bradbury. Woot. 

            Last chapter!

_            With that, a final shockwave rolled over them both, and they tumbled to the ground below._

_            ((How the hell did we lose?))_

_An elbow was driven into the demi-Saiyan's neck; as inky black claimed both Sons' vision, Goku was left with the image of his son, charcoal eyes wide in shock, breath coming in short huffs. _

_            Then it was gone. _

_"Go…ten…" Piccolo muttered softly, before collapsing into a deep sleep._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 14

Chattel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"The blowing of a single autumn leaf."**

**~_Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451_**

"Egads… What a headache… Eh?"  

            Goku glanced around curiously; he stood within a large hall, constructed of tan masonry and surrounded by columned hallways. A clear glass dome glittered overhead; mirrors sparkled here and there along the edges, refracting the sunlight about the large room. 

            "Where the heck am I _now?" _

He assumed it was a training room of some sort; compact dirt formed the floor, whilst tile lined the edges and spread to the hallways past. A harried-looking young alien, similar in appearance to Pui Pui, scrubbed a tile area across the arena. Goku winced; he swore that soapy lather had a reddish tint. 

            Suddenly he had a strange thought. Why did he feel so at home? He should be rejecting this place. This was a dream of a place he had never even been to, and Goku could smell things he had never smelled, see things he had never seen. It made no sense- he should, if anything, feel _alienated_ in this strange world. 

            _Away from it._

            But he felt as though this place was a home, of sorts…. Even that didn't quite satisfy his description. This wasn't truly a home. It had a sinister feel to its warm stones. Past the shadows in the hall… dark things occurred. He knew it. 

            But _how?_

            Gohan. Of course, Gohan! He could still feel that familiar connection in the back of his mind. No wonder he felt like he knew this place- Gohan knew this place, and his mind knew what Gohan's did. It made _perfect_ sense. 

            Still he felt strange, being so at home in this large arena.

            ((A fight with Dabura, eh?)) Okiri's voice rebounded through the Saiyan's head.  

_Alright_, Goku decided, _now to figure out what this place is. I should know, if I share Gohan's emotions. _

He focused.

The main arena. 

Of Babidi's compound, the one Gohan had been at for a year. Wow, a year, already… 

This arena was only for the high-class warriors' training, that and challenges that took place every once and awhile. The other warriors under Babidi's control would watch the matches that took place, occasionally. 

That was all Gohan had to say of it. 

((I don't see what you're so excited about. He beat the hell out of us last time.)) Juujen replied morosely to Okiri's comment seconds before. . 

Goku could almost imagine Gohan grinning. ((C'mon, Juujen! All we've been fighting are those weaklings. Now we can see how strong we've become- Dabura can't be _that hard.))  _

((We haven't reached SSJ2 yet. Not since the Cell Games, Okiri.)) 

((It hasn't been necessary. Who needs that stupid level anyways? We almost beat him last time. We were just… surprised.)) 

((I hate this place.)) 

((It's a challenge, Juujen. A _warrior's challenge. We get food, and a place to sleep, and we get to fight as many as we want…))_

Goku grinned, despite himself. He could definitely see where _his_ genes were. 

((We're prisoners, Okiri. He's training us for something. I can feel it. I just don't know _what_ yet…)) 

((Until then, I plan on becoming as strong as I need to be.))

((Stop being so damn arrogant, you stupid Saiyan fool! Are you listening to a _word I say!?)) _

((Look! We're here!)) 

((Imbecile…))  

Goku glanced up curiously as his 11-year-old son strode confidently into the arena. 

Rather, he corrected, his_ 12-year-old son… He had grown, definitely. His hair had changed slightly, still in those stubborn spikes, but cut a little bit shorter than before. He was still garbed in Piccolo's uniform, although his ankles showed a bit more than before. Goku held back a smile. The boy was certainly stubborn when it came to clothing. _

A slightly darker thought came to mind. _I wonder when he'll start wearing that white gi…_

His attention was drawn away as Dabura strode into the arena, cloak flapping in his broad steps. The demon king stopped feet away from the arrogant teenage boy, arms crossed. A flurry of dust was sent up at the demon's entrance. 

Smirking, Gohan stared up at his adversary. "It's been awhile." 

"Hopefully you've improved, although I highly doubt it." The demon replied with much disdain. 

Reverting to his father's trademark grin, the boy threw his arms up, allowing golden flame to burst about him and the familiar blonde to spark through ebony hair. Teal eyes trained upon their opponent. "I'm ready this time." 

"If you hope light tricks will save you, you are dreadfully mistaken." Dabura spat in disgust, lashing out with a fist at the demi-Saiyan. 

Then the two were in action, working much the same way as the match Goku had witnessed mere minutes before. However, this time, Gohan was making the offense; Dabura blocked, never tossing in a punch. 

The Saiyan's eyes narrowed. "He's playing around. He knows Gohan isn't putting enough into the fight to win…" 

Dabura ducked beneath a right hook and made the first offensive blow- he brought an elbow up, slamming into the boy's chin and snapping Gohan's head back. 

Goku flinched as numbing sparks ran through his jaw. 

Eyes narrowed, Gohan wiped a thin trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Not bad." 

"It is not hard to defeat a mere child who has never stood on a _real _battlefield." 

Gohan scowled, and launched into an offensive again; Goku could both feel and see the boy bringing up everything he had been trained for, and couldn't help but feel slightly proud and yet disappointed at the same time. The boy could recognize an opportunity when the time came; but he didn't attack _quickly_ enough_. _He hesitated too long. He just wasn't _aggressive_ enough. 

It wasn't like the Cell Games fight- it was completely opposite. A hint of his old style was shining through, but it just wasn't as organized and cautious as usual. He was being sloppy. 

Goku frowned. What was the hold up? He had trained the boy- hell, Gohan himself had shouted at him for not being aggressive enough in the Spirit and Time Chamber. Yet now, Gohan wasn't using everything to his full advantage. He wasn't placing the right attack with the right opening quickly enough. 

Was it aggressiveness? Or was Gohan just not putting his whole heart into the battle?

            ((Damn, Juujen, help me out here- I can't do this all on my own…))  

            ((There's no purpose here. It's just brute strength.)) 

            ((Brute strength requires _strategy._)) 

            ((You can handle it.)) 

            Okiri gave a grunt in response; Dabura drove a knee into the demi-Saiyan's stomach. 

            In Goku's own mind, it suddenly clicked. 

            Of course. _That_ was why there was delay.

            A human, even as an advanced fighter, can have one slight disadvantage: it sees the problem, it calculates a response, but sometimes the body simply isn't _fast enough. For a Saiyan… A well-trained one, of course, has no problem in battle. But a half-ling, there could be a problem. The body reacts, but not always after thinking it through. _

            Gohan was not seeing the attacks. He was simply _retaliating._ There was no _strategy_, because his human half was not participating. 

            Of _course_… 

            Doubled over, Gohan lingered a minute before quickly driving a right hook into the demon's cheek. Unabashed, the demon king slammed a retaliatory fist into the boy's face; Gohan tumbled back, temporarily stunned. Goku blinked as his nose tingled sharply. 

            Dabura was not done yet; while the boy was stunned, he nimbly landed a perfect punting kick into the boy's unguarded midriff. The demi-Saiyan fell to the soil below, creating a decent crater in his ungainly landing. There he lay on his back, vulnerable. 

            The demon king drifted down lazily, not in the least bit perturbed. "You are yet to present a challenge for me, brat." However, he gave a slightly amused grin at some afterthought. "I think we will do this more often. I heard that Saiyans increase their strength after near-death experiences." Still grinning, he planted a foot on the demi-Saiyan's chest. Gohan emitted a low groan as the demon increased the pressure. "Surely you want to get stronger…?" 

            "Dabura! See you're having fun with our demi-Saiyan." 

            Goku gave a jerk at Babidi's voice; he hadn't realized what a daze he had been in, caught up in the scent of blood and the lust of the fight.

            Dabura was apparently caught up as well, as he seemed slightly surprised upon spotting his master. Gohan did not move, but jerked as his opponent dug his foot further down. 

            "Yes, master. I plan to make him much stronger." 

            "Not stronger than yourself, I'm sure." Babidi replied smoothly. 

            Dabura chose not to respond. 

            "Well, fine then, I will be off. Don't hit him too hard. I don't want him permanently damaged." 

            Silence reigned over the arena for a moment as the wizard departed; then Dabura slammed all his force into the boy's chest; Gohan, unable to withstand the pressure any longer, snatched at the demon's ankle in vain and cried out. The demon merely gave a sadistic grin. "You don't _deserve Babidi's attention." With a final twist, he was rewarded with a sharp crack. The demi-Saiyan stilled and quieted, eyes wide. Dabura removed his foot, and Gohan gave a short scream of pain. _

            Goku winced as the sound buffeted his eardrums and shock after shock rang through his chest; he didn't want to think what it felt like to Gohan. Then again, he had been in that position before, and could relate to having a rib crack. 

            Dabura kneeled, snatching the boy roughly by the hair and pulled him up as he straightened. Pained boy and cold demon stared face to face. Strangely, Gohan was the one to speak, in short gasps. "Why do you… follow Babidi…?" 

            "Because that is what I desire to do." The demon replied coldly. 

            Goku's vision went black once more as a punch to the face knocked Gohan out cold.   

~*~

            "Should we leave?" Videl inquired curiously, staring at the crashing sapphire waves. 

            They stood upon the edge of Papaya Island; the still-smoking arena, at the center of Papaya, lay miles behind them, but the humans still swore they could smell the rank of flesh burning. 

            "I don't know… They might come back…" Chichi was as worried as ever. 

            "Yamcha? Can you sense anyone?" 

            Suddenly in the hot spot, the ex-bandit grinned sheepishly; of course he had been observing the entire fight mentally, but he wasn't sure if he himself totally understood what had occurred. "Um… It's kinda fuzzy… I'd have to look closer." 

            The females shot him skeptical looks before turning to their ringleader. Bulma sighed. "I guess we'll stay here. Maybe we should gather the dragonballs, wish back all those people Gohan killed…" 

            Chichi promptly burst into tears. 

            "Ah! Sorry, Chichi! Really, though, we should wish them back…" 

            "I think we should wait." Puar stated in her squeaky voice. "What if more people were killed? And besides, maybe we'll need the wish for something more important." 

            "Something more important!? Something more important than what!? Hundreds of people just died!" Bulma shouted in return, stepping challengingly towards the blue shape-shifter. 

            Puar floated back, whispering to Yamcha, "What's with her?" 

            "I think she's a little bit agitated." 

            The cat shot her long-time friend a look. "I _know_ that." 

            "Bulma… Let's just stay here." Videl stated tiredly. "Goku'll tell us what to do." 

            "What if Goku's dead?" Roshi shot up nervously. 

            The old master soon shrank under a shower of glares.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok, not *nearly* as long as last chapter, but I don't want to toss out too much of Goku's dream at a time; it could get really confusing. Was the interlude with Videl, etc., annoying? I just thought I should let you all know what was going on with them. 

I sorry, I ate food today and now I'm all tired ^^; So I'm just gonna put up previews and review response…

Next chapter!

_His eyes narrowed dangerously; their already pale yellow color only served to create a more malicious appearance. _

_            Goku raised an eyebrow. What on earth was up with Babidi? _

_"Heh, Pui Pui, dare you to get him to talk…" _

_            "20 trilos." _

_            "That's a good fight's salary, you-" _

_            "C'mon, he ain't gonna do it easy, Kiku." _

_            "Fine… Rip-off…" _

_            "Ha. I'll do it. Tonight." _

Reviews, reviews, how could I live without you ^^

            **Silver Warrior- _Hehe__, yea, not very original of me ^^; But I thought his sacrifice fitted in with this storyline anyways. _**

**DBZ Chick1- _Hell will most likely freeze over the day you don't say "update" in a review ^^; Thankies for the review. _**

**Simba-rulz****- _Geez__, it's just a cartoon character o.O;; besides, I couldn't kill my Gohan off in this story ^^_**

_            Okiri: *skeptical look* Ri-ight…_

_            Juujen: LIAR! I read the scripts! I know what happens! Liarliarliar! _

_            Okiri: Alright, we get the point, shut up. _

_            Juujen: …Liarliarliarliarliar…_

_            Okiri: LOOK! __Turkey__!_

_            Juujen: *stops, stares at his counter-part* That only works on you. Look, turkey!_

_            Okiri: WHERE!?_

_            Ok, temporary insanity gone --; Updated, woot!_

**Aleandra**** Alyra Sarienna- **_Dubbie_ ^^ Poor Dubbie.__ Trunks? Why would Trunks be a Majin? He's sleeping with Krillin and Piccolo (lazy bums, sleeping on the job ^^) Hehe, I just wrote the outline for part two. I should finish this fic somewhere in 2005 at this rate. Geez. __

**SSJ5Tigger- _That was one long rant._ Hey, I'm yet to get a flame! Either my story is good or people are too lazy to flame. Probably the latter. Hehe. Yup, no story is perfect. I've never flamed anyone! Although some, I really, really wish I could. But it would be a waste of time and energy. Goku finding two halves is good, because it's one step to him finding out that his son is *not* evil (or is he? Hmm…) thankies, as always, for the review__**

**Alex Ultra- _^^ I do that sometimes. Authors update quickly, or I forget to review. Go me. Ranma ^^ Never watched/read it. Hehe ^^ Well, thanks for the review. _**

**THE DARK ONE18- _Yay_! Someone new! Coolness ^^ Haha, wouldn't go so far as hailing…__**

_            Juujen: *holding "DOWN WITH SHADOWPHOENIX sign* GOHAN TORTURER! _

_            Okiri: *searching for turkey, still*_

_            Thankies for reading ^^_

**Adrienne D- _Ah ^^ Getting these reviews always makes__ my day a heck of a lot better. Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou… Yea, you get the gist. Anyways. Yep, I saw Matrix Revolutions, twice, actually. The trailer wasn't much. They show it on TV now, anyways. _**

_            Actually, Gohan was *not* absorbed. Babidi likes his little servant, why on earth would he let Buu eat him? But yea, at the moment, he's kinda unconscious in the middle of the desert. Babidi left him there to "think things over" (oh, that's really effective for someone who's half-dead --;). _

_            Wow, cool, I love it when stories inspire me to draw! I'm too lazy to draw that scene, though o.O It would take me forever ^^ I'd absolutely love to see it. My first piece of fanart *melts* _

_            Hehe. Food, food, heck, he thought wedding was a food… And cutting scenes is just so *fun.* Can't live without it. _

_            I was afraid the Goten/Trunks conversation would be annoying and pointless, but it seems that was not so. Good! I tried to display Trunks as best I could ^^ Hopefully it worked out as planned. It just seems to me Trunks is really loyal, both to his father, and (although subtly) to Goten. Although the latter is more like a ringleader looking after his lackey at times ^^ Tried to show this later… You'll see what I mean in a few chapters. _

_            Haha! Awesome! Yea, I wrote that little jumble of thoughts in one quick sweep of the fingers, but I tried to stick to it as well as I could, attempting at repetition to get the point across. You hit it right on, however. Too cool. I think elation *would* come into play, as he suddenly realizes the fight is over and everyone's pretty much ok (except Mirai o.o Poor Mirai). This small sequence of Gohan's life, and it's affect on Goku, kinda shows up more later, when Goku has one of many breakdowns. Poor Goku. Things get to him, eventually… _

_            Did I? ^^ Yay! Vegeta scares me. I'm always afraid I'll make him totally out of character. Piccolo, Vegeta, Heero Yuy… the silent types are just so hard to personify, and to justify their actions is like authoress hell to me o.o;_

_            Actually… Yea, when you said Goku wouldn't catch on immediately, I considered *changing* this chapter. But I think he would catch on pretty quick, despite it all. When things start to move fast, usually Goku can keep up with it. Especially in the heat of battle. And they are pretty much in the thick of one big battle after another right now. Am I wrong? *worriedness* _

_            Well, Gohan did reach SSJ2, but he only reached that through a lot of struggling. It's like when Goku went SSJ for the first time. I think Gohan would have to do at least a *little* training to be able to have SSJ2 at his beck and call. So, technically, at this point, he can't transform all that quickly. Although the movies aren't always accurate, in Movie 9, Gohan can't reach SSJ2 until the end of the battle (and after nearly getting killed again). So, although he's *reached* that level before, he really has to get used to it and master it before he can reach it whenever he wants. Like when he's fighting Dabura. Did that clear it up? _

_            Oh god o.O So sorry! I absolutely _despise _that about my subconscious. As I'm writing, I'll use some word, and by accident, my mind will repeat it as I write, over and over. Once I used the same darn word 3 times in the same sentence. Thank goodness Astrozazel caught it --; It was so embarrassing, too! Geez. I'm so sorry. I just don't catch that, usually. Waaah… I can't believe I did that, I can't believe I did that… *slams head on desk several times* _

_            Babidi is evil ^^ Who knows what he's planning… Besides, how could I leave Goten out? I thought our little demi-Saiyan needed some character development, hehe… _

_            Hehe, reviewing is all important! Homework is petty! ^^ I love responding to your reviews. I get to get into rants and everything! Woot, yayness, you are awarded the uber-cookie award for constant uber-reviewer…_

**           Gohanzgirl- _hehe__ ^^ Two of them._**_ Twice the trouble. Yay. Wow, _Canada___? It would take awhile to get to __Canada__ from here. I do live in __Virginia__, after all o.O_

**Ooshii**** Kurai- _Did I spell your name right!? --;;; I swear, that name, too many double letters and stuff… Haha, recruiting muses, eh? Poor muses. Haha, 1-in-4 odds ^^ Poor Vegeta. He'll probably get lost. And refuse to ask for directions. _**

Geez, it takes me 45 minutes to write an A/N. That's rather pathetic o.O Ok, well, I'm exhausted from reviewing, Thanksgiving fun, and all that other stuff, so I'll retire ^^ Thankies for reading!

            Juujen: Hey, where'd Okiri…

            Okiri: Look! I found a cookie! 

            Buu: Hey! Mine!

            Okiri: *eats it in spite* *chewing slows, then he spits it out* Ew! What kind of cookie **_was_** that!?

            Buu: *grins* Dabu-bu! 

            Juujen: *pales* 

            Okiri: *frantically spits out remainder of cookie* 


	15. Embittered

Hiya!

            Yay! I have the chance to update this today! *cheers* 

            Ah, yea, I posted this Sunday afternoon, however after reading over it I decided to add the Hercule part and found several things to edit. So, if you read this chapter last night, you might want to scroll down and read the changed part. (as of Monday, December 15) 

            **_I have exactly 150 reviews! *cheers* _I can't believe it ^^ *wipes away a tear* That's so awesome.******

            ^^; I saw, right after I posted that author's note, the thing about the author's note chapters. Hah. Go figure. Oh well, just means I *must* updated Serendipity soon. 

            Disclaimer: I no own! 

            Last time on Kokuhaku (I'm sure you need a reminder): 

_((Brute strength requires _strategy._)) _

_((You can handle it.)) _

_Gohan was not seeing the attacks. He was simply _retaliating_.__ There was no strategy, because his human half was not participating. _

_            Of course… _

_"Why do you… follow Babidi…?"_

_           "Because that is what I desire to do." The demon replied coldly._

_"What if Goku's dead?" _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 15

Embittered

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"I am exploring the inside, I find it desolate  
I do implore these confines, now, as they penetrate, "recreate me"  
I'm hovering throughout time, I crumble in these days  
I crumble, I cannot, I cannot find reflection in these days…"**

~_Bleed Black, AFI****_

"Well, this again." Goku muttered morosely as he found himself once more awake and inside the now-familiar arena. He quickly curled his legs to sit Indian-style, levitating a few feet off the ground. He assumed this was another match, and another chance for Gohan to lose. That was how the last two fights had gone, after all. He found that his limbs, although shaking milliseconds before, were suddenly stilled and calm. His entire body was calmer. 

He realized that a small gathering of men had appeared at the northern edge of the arena, laughing and drinking. _Of course.__ The onlookers Gohan mentioned.  The Saiyan jumped as he found there were men at his back, as well, a loose gathering of 20 or so assorted aliens. They all appeared warrior-like, and chatted quietly amongst themselves as they apparently waited for something. _

            Another fact presented itself as he glanced around the arena- this time, Dabura was already leaning against the north wall, inspecting his blackened claws with boredom. 

            He listened in on a conversation in Saiyan, the only one which he understood over the various alien tongues. "You know that boy? Dabura's punching bag?" 

            "Weird kid… Never speaks to anyone…" 

            "Speaks to Dabura. And Babidi, in that strange off-world language of his. I heard him speak in Saiyan once, so I know he can communicate with some of us."

            "Maybe it's a…. where's he from? E-arth?... Maybe it's an E-arth thing." 

            "I think he's just an insolent brat."  

_When's Gohan going to show up…?_

            As if in taunting response, Okiri's voice entered his mind. ((Juujen, I swear, you've got to help me out this time…)) 

            ((We're getting stronger.)) Juujen replied tiredly. ((We're almost to SSJ2. We've had 3 months of these daily beatings with Dabura, and soon we'll be strong enough to defeat him and get the hell out of here… Okiri, don't you think it's strange? We've been doing this for so long, and we haven't even reached past SSJ yet…)) 

            Okiri seemed to ignore that last comment. ((You heard Babidi's deal. Beat Dabura and it's home-free.)) 

            ((I don't trust that withered toad, and I'm not going to help you. This is your side, Okiri. Not mine.)) 

            ((You're all the attack combinations! You're the only thing that stands between us and freedom! If you helped, I'd be able to make a combo each time and win every match.)) 

            ((You can handle this. I don't want to get involved.)) 

            ((You're a fool, Juujen. You've always been one.)) 

            Juujen did not reply. Son Gohan entered the arena once more. 

            Immediately, catcalls bubbled up on the sidelines. "You gonna give up, Monkey-boy?" 

            "Some monkey. He has no tail!" 

            Those were the only two that Goku could easily understand; the others were in alien tongues. He swore he heard a few Namekian lines, but he was in no mood to decipher; he directed his attention at the two fighters. 

            "Shall we get started, then?" The demon inquired languidly, glancing up. Both boy and demon had coolly ignored the offside comments. 

            Gohan took a step forward, breaking into a defensive stance. Goku had to admit, the boy was stubborn. 

            "I really do enjoy these little matches, boy. I needed a decent punching bag." Dabura whispered into the demi-Saiyan's ear; Goku had barely been able to discern the sudden movement.  Eyes already alit with frustration, Gohan burst into Super Saiyan and dodged away. 

            The Saiyan raised an eyebrow. "Dabura's fast." 

            The demon king was in the air and after his prey, aiming a fist at Gohan. Okiri, within Gohan's mind, sounded resolute. ((Your help or not, I'm _winning _this _fight!))_

            "Rah!" The half-breed aimed a punch, and surprisingly it connected with Dabura's left side; however, the demon quickly countered with a kick to the boy's unprotected midriff. 

            Goku tsk-ed. "Shouldn't have left that open, Okiri." 

            The 12-year-old whirled to block a blow from the right; he then lashed out towards his attacker, but Dabura had already moved and landed a punch on the demi-Saiyan's cheek. This time it was the demon's turn to berate. "Careless, little Saiyan." 

            Gohan launched a kick his way; this time Dabura tired of fooling around and snatched the offered leg, shoving with all his might. 

            The demi-Saiyan screeched to a halt mere millimeters from a mirror. The glassy surface glimmered innocently in response as Gohan caught his breath, eyes matched with his opponent's. 

            "Who has mirrors in an arena?" Goku inquired to himself; he then flinched as a projectile of spit shot innocently through his arm. Cautiously, he scooted further down the wall, away from the crowd. He glanced nervously at the onlookers once more, wiping his arm although it did no good. Not that he could feel the touch of his hand anyways. 

            "_Damn it!" Both Gohan and Goku jumped as Babidi slammed into the arena, a flurry of curses in his wake. Immediately, the bystanders scattered in various directions with muted whispers. Dabura, however, was not distracted; he quickly drove a fist into his foe's face, and the unprepared Gohan offered no resistance. He slammed through the mirror, sending glistening shards clattering to the ground as momentum carried his body deeper into the wall. _

            "Another match lost to that bastard-" Babidi's head snapped up, speech stopping in mid-rant. 

            His eyes narrowed dangerously; their already pale yellow color only served to create a more malicious appearance. 

            Goku raised an eyebrow. What was up with Babidi? 

            Gohan stumbled out of the hole he had created, shards of glass loosening from his clothes to join their brethren upon the dirt. Due to tough Saiyan skin, Gohan was unharmed. 

            The young Earthling barely had time to look up before the shards around him rose to the air, glinting maliciously above. He stared for a minute at the strange sight, before looking to the wizard and taking a step back in realization. "What…?" 

            Babidi's arms were raised, silvery light enveloping his entire frame as a similar gleam arose within the mirror shards. Suddenly, the deadly fragments took flight, straight at Gohan… 

            Goku abandoned his comfortable pose to jolt to his feet. "Why the hell is he doing this!? There's no reason-" Goku silenced himself as his son began a mad dodging, twisting this way and that to avoid the missiles. 

            A sharp spark ran through Goku's cheek; suddenly Okiri's surprised voice rang through his mind. ((He put ki in them!)) 

            It was true; a sliver had managed to slice neatly across Okiri's cheek, and that would've been impossible for normal glass. More the reason to dodge. Even with fighter's instinct, however, he couldn't avoid nearly enough. Small pieces sliced here and there, but these were small pains; he focused on the large daggers. 

            Goku suddenly noted one sizable edge, away from the flurry of glass; but before he could warn his son (as if it would do any good), he stumbled backwards; a searing jolt of ghost-pain ran through his arm just as Gohan gave a pained outcry. 

            ((_Damn!)) _

            The phantom mirror shards clattered to the ground. Gohan stood within the glistening sea, favoring one arm which already dripped rich blood upon the ground. Babidi gave a bemused cackle and disappeared down the hallway. 

            The half-breed gave a grunt of pain as he jerked the long shard of glass from his right arm. A gash ran from elbow to mid-forearm, luckily avoiding any major arteries, but still bleeding profusely. Goku winced. He had caught sight of ivory bone within the wound.  His own arm throbbed. 

            "Going to the infirmary? Today's match is over." Dabura gave a pleased grin, disappearing into the dark past the arena.  

            Gohan stood alone, blood dripping between his fingers to mix with the soil upon the ground. His own bated breath echoed through the arena. 

Slowly, he trudged out of the arena, a trail of blood left in his wake. 

            The Saiyan lingered, staring at the blood, glass, and dirt as they mixed. He then followed Okiri's train of thought. "Damn." 

            He turned to amble after his son, entering the shadowed hallway. A muted conversation reached his ears; he turned. Gohan had not heard it. 

"Look, see? Bleeding all over the place. Ain't even going into the infirmary. What an idiot."

_Wait a second… I don't know this language. _

            "Heh, Pui Pui, dare you to get him to talk…" 

            _How am I understanding this?_

            "20 trilos." 

            "That's a good fight's salary, you-" 

            _This does not __make sense…_

            "C'mon, he ain't gonna do it easy." 

            "Fine… Rip-off…" 

            "Ha. I'll do it. Tonight." 

            Although unnerved by the fact that he was easily listening in on a foreign language, he couldn't ignore the conversation. What was it with this place? It seemed to be intent on bringing Gohan to his knees. 

            Of course that was what they wanted. 

            A weak Gohan was much easier for Babidi to control then a strong one…

            Shaking his head, the Saiyan started after his son, heart suddenly much heavier. 

~*~ 

            Uncomfortable silence had reigned over the small dock, interrupted only by the wail of sirens in the distance and the soft impact of waves against the beach. Videl had chosen to take a seat on the wooden planks; Chichi, Bulma, and Master Roshi followed suit, leaving Yamcha and Krillin to stand in morose reticence. 

            The strange collection of humans- it ranged, after all, from perverted old men to world-renowned geniuses, was suddenly jerked from it's dumb stupor as an obnoxious, blaring voice came into range. 

            Videl, who had been on her feet within milliseconds of registering the loud clamor, immediately gasped in complete shock, staring at the mock-parade before them. "…Daddy?" 

            "Oh my…" Bulma started, standing beside the sable-haired girl. 

            "I, Hercule Satan, promise to destroy the evil monster-" Due to the joys of the Doppler effect, the sound died off there, falling to a low rumble as Hercule Satan and his extremely large megaphone (along with his horde of fans) disappeared around the corner. 

            "That man has no sense at all." Yamcha stated levelly, eyebrows raised.

            Krillin nodded in agreement;  Bulma, however, chose to glance about nervously. "Um… Where did Chichi go?" 

            The humans had to admit that it was cruel to wait a moment before going after their near-deadly friend, but Yamcha later justified that hearing Hercule Satan scream like a 6-year-old girl was very much worth it. He received several snickers and a smack from Videl in reply. 

~*~

             ((It's ruined.)) Juujen lamented as Gohan stared at the outfit which was stretched upon the bed. 

            They stood within a slightly cramped quarters, with no extravagant decorations. It consisted of blank white walls, a metallic door which retracted into the wall upon command, a small window which looked upon a rusted red desert, and a bland, ivory-sheeted double-bunk bed. Goku found himself drawn to the world past the window. It obviously wasn't Earth, but it was familiar, just like the arena was. The sand and jutting rocks were all oxidized, rendered the color of freshly spilled blood. Goku shivered at this last thought. The desert world was currently growing dim, pale flares of color obviously showing that the sun-or suns-was setting. Soft stars gently flickered into life in the darker portions of the upper sky. 

The upper bunk of the bed was not used; simply the lower, and this was where Gohan's former gi was now stretched out. The gi in itself was, as Juujen had stated, ruined. It was tattered in many places and Goku winced as he found corresponding gashes upon his son's own skin. The wound upon his arm had closed slightly, but despite the obvious fact that Gohan had washed within the past few minutes, rich blood had leaked out and laced within his fingers.  

            He was currently dressed in, to Goku's great surprise, the white uniform which he had seen at the tournament. Babidi's uniform. 

            Goku frowned. So was this how it happened? 

            His son remained standing, picking with disgust at the newly-donned gi. ((I hate this thing.)) Okiri growled. ((And you should be one to complain, Juujen, you weren't helping me.)) 

            ((I helped you dodge…)) 

            ((But you didn't help me _before_. What's _with you, Juujen!? You never **help!** You just let me wallow and make a _fool_ of ourselves!)) Until this point, Goku had barely seen any outward display of the feud within; now, Gohan scowled, obviously displaying Okiri's influence. And Goku was even more surprised as the boy whirled, slamming his injured fist into the transparent glass behind him; jolts of pain ran up and down his arm at the motion. Then it was silent once more, and Goku continued to listen in on the dark conversation within his mind. ((Look! __Look! We're in __hell, locked into this Kami-forsaken prison and surrounded by an endless world of __dust. Babidi's giving us the chance to __escape this. He said he'd let us go if we defeated Dabura, Juujen. You're holding us _back!_ You're keeping us away from Earth! Don't you _want_ to go back!? Don't you _want_ to go back to Dad, and Mom, and Piccolo- hell, I'd give anything to see __Vegeta. Juujen, _please_- we've got to get __out of here. You've got to help me for us to _do_ that. Don't you __see? You've got to __help.)) _

            With that, Gohan removed his fist from the window, leaving a sticky impression of crimson. As Goku watched, the droplets of blood began to collect, growing heavier with each added sphere until finally one, two rivulets of the dark substance rolled down the clear pane. Gohan took no notice. 

            Juujen was silent for a long time. Then, slowly, contemplatively- ((You actually believe what that toad says?)) 

            ((I don't care what that toad says. He has no control over us. Dabura is the strongest fighter here. If we kill him, there's nothing holding us back. We can steal the spaceship and get to--)) 

            ((Steal it!? Don't you remember the last time? That Yakkon beast nearly took off our head! Not to mention Dabura mauled us the next day.)) 

            ((And thanks to that, we doubled our strength. I just didn't expect that beast to be there. I'll get him next time with ease.)) 

            ((Dabura's strength is growing with ours, Okiri! Don't you _see?_ We should've been at SSJ2 by now, with ease. We've been nearly killed at least 12 times within the past 3 months. But are we at SSJ2? No! But Dabura's growing! He's growing faster than us! We'll reach SSJ2 soon, sure, but when we get there, Dabura's going to be strong enough to handle it, and we'll always be one step behind…)) 

            ((Look. Let's just find a way to find how to fix this gi, alright?)) 

            Goku felt lost in a sea of confusion. He didn't know whose side he was on. Okiri had a point- if Dabura was out of the way, they would be home free. However, Juujen also had a point. Goku had been wondering why the 12-year-old was not yet ascended. Perhaps it had something to do with Babidi. 

            Juujen had worked out the details for Okiri's question, obviously, beforehand. He replied immediately. ((We just go to the infirmary and ask for some thread. Say it's for our cut.)) Goku snorted. Cut? Right. 

            ((That nurse of Babidi's will jump on us like a rabid wolf…)) 

            ((Well… We'll avoid that nurse. Just look for the other one. The fat one.)) 

            ((Fine, Mr. Genius, you take over. Get us past Dabura and Pui Pui and perhaps I'll consider forgiving you.)) 

            ((Yes, meme sahib.)) 

            ((Smart-ass.)) 

            ((That's what I'm here for.)) 

            The door slid open with a metallic hiss as Gohan brushed past, and Goku felt himself lingering for a moment. 

            His eyes were fixed on the window as the light above automatically shut off. Natural light filtered through, throwing the small impression of Gohan's punch into shadows. The still-wet blood glimmered, tracking its way down the glass face. 

            Shaking his head, Goku quickly slid through the door before it closed. 

~*~ 

            It was rather funny, Okiri thought, as he drifted into a state of consciousness he certainly did not wish for. 

            His body, so finely tuned with its Saiyan genes, was so battered that he didn't even feel pain. 

            Giving a hoarse, low chuckle, he slowly placed his hands beneath him and slowly pulled himself to his knees, then to his feet. He winced. The sun simmered brightly overhead, even as it grew ever closer to the horizon. He had been out for a while, apparently. 

            Plip. Plip. 

            He looked down. Small circles had appeared in the sand, although they were quickly consumed by the insatiable earth. Plip, plip… Blood. Sweat. Sand. What a strange combination. 

            Laughing in a cracked voice at his strange musings, he coughed as his parched throat seized up and the coppery taste of blood announced itself in his mouth. Shaking with exhaustion, Okiri stumbled forward, one step, two step, keeping all concentration on the movement that he was sure was wreaking havoc on his already battered tendons and muscles… But he had to get there. Had to. 

            _Where am I going? _

            That energy. Nearby. So, so nearby. Okiri smiled faintly, cracking the crimson blood which had dried upon his lips. 

            _That's where I'm going? _

And then he grasped the last thread of his energy and trudged on. (1) 

~*~ 

            After passing through a greenery-touched courtyard, encircled by small quarters identical to Gohan's own and centered upon a particularly large building, they were back in the dark hallway. Goku glanced curiously to a nearby hallway; he could hear the grunt of a being, and the metallic clink of two weapons colliding. Then they were past and the sound was muted. 

            ((Almost there…)) Juujen murmured grimly, eyes set on a metallic door which lay far down the hallway. 

            Goku sighed in relief. He, himself, had been pent up in Gohan's anxiousness. Of course, what was the demi-Saiyan afraid of…? 

            Well…. No wonder. He was wounded. It was like any wounded animal. Instinct. Be extra cautious when wounded. 

            Then Goku gave a yelp as he was yanked from his thoughts; a form pushed through his own, and although he did not feel it, it was still a slightly unsettling experience. 

            Gohan looked up, and his eyes immediately narrowed. ((Pui Pui.)) Okiri spat. 

            The elder Saiyan realized this to be true; the alien, in all his pompous arrogance, stood before the young teen with a smirk. 

The demi-Saiyan merely glared upwards at the pale-eyed alien, not uttering a word and proving the earlier rumor that the boy never spoke.  

"Brat. Where are you running off to? Without good ol' Babidi here to protect your precious little body?" The alien teased, crossing his arms. "Saw that incident in the arena again. Dabura's upset now, didn't get to finish his daily beating. You are the most pathetic of the pathetic, aren't you?" 

_Of course, the bet, I almost forgot…_

((Insolent little…)) 

((Don't waste your time, Okiri.)) Juujen reprimanded. ((He couldn't fight us if he wanted. He's a weakling.)) 

((I hope Dabura uses him as a punching bag next. I wish Babidi would let _me_ use him as a punching bag. Ha- that would take him down a notch. When he's _dead.)) Okiri seethed, voice dripping venom only a Saiyan could muster. _

"I hear you're from some pathetic little world. Don't know what slum Babidi dragged you from, but I say we should toss you back. You deserve to be with the _contusi_ and the _retuiken_." Pui Pui spat, eyes narrowed. Two words Goku could not decipher; the rest had been spoken in perfect Saiyan. "All you Saiyan are the same! Even your language is disgusting!" The alien laughed harshly, leaning back in his fit of mirth. 

This was a mistake. It left his neck wide open. 

Then Gohan had one steadfast hand encircled around the alien's neck, and Pui Pui was slammed against the wall with enough force to sink the spikes on his ivory armor deep into the concrete. The fighter gagged, grasping hopelessly at the boy's arm. 

The elder Saiyan darkly noted that his son had used his unharmed left arm, rather than his injured right. 

"_Contusi__!?" Gohan snarled, glaring up at his prey with burning eyes. _

Goku couldn't avoid a slight smirk at the look upon Pui Pui's face; the alien gasped for air, eyes wide. "I was… just kidding… brat…!" 

            The demi-Saiyan's ki spiked in fury, and he pulled back on the aliens neck; he then followed through with slamming his foe roughly into the wall once more. Dust and disintegrated concrete showered the ground as the alien emitted a high-pitched squeak. Gohan growled once more. "Good, I'd hate this to get serious. Lay off, you weak little-" 

"No, no, Pui Pui, you're doing it wrong." 

            It was as though Goku's feet had fused with the stone tiles beneath his feet.  

Gohan froze as well, allowing a breath to finally escape his chest. He didn't bother to look at the demon standing behind him. 

            Narrowed eyes grew wide, however, as jet-black claws dug into the gash upon his right arm, causing hot blood to trickle past his fingers once more. The demi-Saiyan closed his eyes, giving a low, almost indiscernible groan. 

            Dabura heard it, and it brought a sadistic smile to the demon's face. He gave a sharp twist, causing Gohan to drop his prey; gasping for air; Pui Pui scrambled away, hand pressed against his throat as if in protection. 

            "Unh…" The demi-Saiyan bit his lip so hard that it bled slightly, a minor pain compared to the searing torrent that ate at his arm. Dabura continued to grin, claws digging deeper, deeper… 

"You shouldn't let a weak taunt get to you so much, brat." Dabura finally whispered, and, smirk still playing across his lips, drove a fist into the demi-Saiyan's stomach. 

             Goku held back a whimper of pain himself as burning heat rushed through his arm, the shocks within his stomach pathetic when compared. 

            The demi-Saiyan fell against the demon's fist, knees collapsing; Dabura slowly withdrew, almost regretfully releasing his grip on the limp boy's arm. His release allowed Gohan to collapse to the ground. The demon smirked, flicking his bloodstained hand carelessly. A spray of vermilion was released at the gesture. 

Gohan's breath came in bated, short gasps; he laid there, prostrate, eyes wide. 

            ((We were… wrong…)) 

            ((We don't… we are not Goku's son.)) 

            Goku stared, unbelieving of what his son had just said. 

            Dabura stood over the young boy, smirking. He knew how to judge character quite well. 

            Only one more straw was required to snap the camel's back. 

            Goku faded from consciousness.

~*~

            ((No, no, come on…)) Okiri stumbled, right foot sinking into the sand unexpectedly; he slipped and fell to the earth. The impact sent fire ravaging through raw nerves. Giving a gasp, he struggled to his feet, stumbling once more as he regained his balance. An impression soaked in ruby-tinted sweat was left in the sand. 

            ((C'mon, work with me here!))

            The teenager plodded on, burning sand heating the soles of his shoes and the relentless sun biting at his back. As he reached the crest of a sand dune, he suddenly jerked to a stop. All orders for his legs to keep moving came to a halt. 

            ((I'm almost there… Just… Got to… Hold on…)) 

            Okiri's eyes closed. He toppled over the edge of the sand dune. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            (1)- Since Juujen is currently Majin, he has no effect on Gohan's body. So, Okiri is in sole control. So, I shall refer to Gohan as Okiri. ^^; Is it confusing? 

Another chapter completed! Hopefully it wasn't horrible ^^; I checked it over as best I could… I most likely missed stuff, however. I thought the part with Videl, etc., was a bit repetitive but I kinda felt it necessary to explain what was going on with them… Not to mention I needed a transition ^^; 

            o.o I haven't actually completed some of next chapter. So, I'm just going to give a slight look into way way in the future ^^ How professional of me, huh?

            _Past _next time on Kokuhaku…

            I can't feel… Any of them…_ Goku's eyes widened, panic causing his throat to dry suddenly. He didn't even realize he had left the ground until the rocky outcroppings dropped away. With his new vantage point, he began to search about frantically, both with eyes and mind. _

            Vegeta... I can't sense you at all… You left to fight Buu. Are you dead? Please tell me it isn't so… And Piccolo, Trunks… _Goten_. 

_            Suddenly, his senses faintly picked up the familiar, if faint, trace of his oldest rival. Relieved, he dropped to the ground at that point. _

_            Piccolo, Krillin, and Trunks lay in the sand before him, asleep. He gave a sigh of relief- but that relief did not last. _

            **Goten****…!**

****

****_"Piccolo!"__ Goku cried, rousing the Namekian. _

_Earth's former guardian jerked sluggishly, noting the Saiyan immediately and rising to his feet. "Goku… Damn him! Babidi put us to sleep." _

_"Where's Vegeta? Goten?" _

_"Vegeta…? Vegeta's dead. Goten… isn't here?" Krillin answered, apparently roused by the conversation.  _

_"No. He couldn't be…" _

_The human narrowed his eyes. "Babidi, that bastard. He wouldn't kill a child… would he?"  _

_            Neither chose to answer. _

Sorry I don't have a proper preview ^^ Sheesh. It's harder to find clippits that don't give away a bunch of plot points.  

            I'm almost done with Gates of Fire! Woo ^^ That is the best book ever. *forever grateful to Astrozazel* 

            Okie dokies, review time…

            **SSJ5Tigger- _I just have way too much free time ^^ Hehe. Good point, but hey, it's fun to interact with people. _**

_            ^^ Your rants are always interesting to read. _

**Alex Ultra- _Hah ^^ Good, o.o; It's better if you *don't* see my stupid mistakes! _**

_            ^^ My beta actually found one of my names was Japanese for "listen…" I took it out o.o It wasn't a necessary name, anyway. It was just I wanted it to be original. Oh well. _

_            ^^ You've been with me from the very beginning, haven't you? That's cool ^^ Glad you still like it enough to review. _

**Simba-rulz****- _^^ You didn't like what Dabura did *last* chapter? That was nothing, compared to this one. Or at least I thought. Sorry for the wait review-wise. _**

**Shea**** Loner- _Sorry it was so short o.o I didn't want to reveal too much at one time. This one was a little bit longer, I think. _**

**Ooshii**** Kurai- **_^^; Nee?_

_            Gohan has multiple personalities o.o Poor Gohan. _

_            I spell it wrong all the time. For some reason, one review, it capitalized both o's each time- they did it in yours, too. Isn't that weird? _

_            Sequels ^^ Every author's best friend. _

_            Okiri: *sniff* Why do you have to write *trilogies?* Why not leave it short and simple!? _

_            Poor Veggie. Stuck in Kingdom Hearts. ^^ Your poor muses, so over-glomped. _

**DBZChick1- _Haha__, tricky this time, huh ^^ _**

**Hotsexyboy****- **_…Interesting name._ Thanks ^^ Glad you took the time to review. __

**The Shadowpanther- _Aleandra__! You changed your name! *gasps dramatically* Too many shadows, now. Oh well. _**

_            Dabbie? o.o My bad. Dabbie does sound better ^^ Dubbie sounds like… I dunno… __Dudley_ from Harry Potter.__

_            Babidi *does* mess with the Sons a lot, doesn't he? Bad Babidi. At least Goku hasn't been Saiyan-napped yet. _

_            KGoku: …yet? _

_            Okiri: ^^ Come play with us, Goku! _

_            Juujuu: o.o Are you *sure* I'm the Majin one? _

_            Okiri: I've got Christmas-party leftovers! Little sausages galore! *grabs appetizers* _

_            Juujuu: --; Well at least I'm certain I'm the *human* one. _

**The Dark One18- _Um… ^^ Ok._ Dun dun dun. __**

**Adrienne D- _Aw! I'm sorry. Pecking is so annoying *types 73 WPM and can't stand anything slower* _**

_            o.o My first piece of fanart! *bounces off the walls* ^^ It's so good! *is envious* I can never get hands to look that good. Your figure was *perfect.* Wow!!! Completely and totally awesome. The colors looked fine to me. I would most likely have trouble with the grass! (and the hands… *shivers*) _

_ You have an LJ journal? Haha ^^ We should chat sometime.  _

_Okiri__: More turkey? Woo! *scurries after* _

_Juujuu__: That's 97 pounds of food and counting. Saiyans. _

_Ah yes ^^ Review part ^^ _

_Your point on Goku is well-taken. I try to adapt for that later (the acceptance). ^^ As usual, good, good point. _

_Egads__ o.o The repetition thing. I watched for it this chapter, so hopefully I caught most of them. _

_Ah. Word order. Very good point. Gotta watch for that one. _

_*nods, nods* Wow ^^ You catch everything. *bites nails* Hope I caught all of that this chapter o.o _

_Hah ^^ Okiri does have a one-track mind, doesn't he? (Juujuu: *snorts in agreement*) _

_Considering everyone around Chichi is too chicken to tell her much of anything, dunno how that'll come about. For some reason, one of the most poignant parts of the series, for me, was when Bulma cried on the lookout over Vegeta's death. I guess because that was one of those couples where they are more than a little distanced. An author recently reminded me of how Chichi smacked Buu for killing Gohan- now that I think about it, that too is pretty darn cool. Shows how much she sticks up for people, even when it isn't necessary. _

_Wow ^^ Thanks for reviewing with one hand! Quite awesome. *watches others devour cookies* _

_Okiri__: *has finished his in 0.005 seconds* *eyes mine* …You gonna eat that? _

_--; Here.__ *hands it over* _

_Okiri__: YAY! *devours cookie*_

_In exchange, here, have a frog-shaped gingerbread cookie!_

_Juujuu__: So it's a gingerbread frog? _

_^^ _

**Angel of Migranes- _Cool name.__ Where does it come from? Juujen is the human half. Okiri is the Saiyan half. That's where their names come from- Juujen means "gentleness" while Okiri comes from Okibi, which means "blazing fire" _**

**Kirbmasterx****- **_Wow ^^ No large interactions this time?__ How are you ever going to beat 400,000 words? Heh._

_Woops. Oh well. Bad Gohan. He curses a little bit o.o; Bad me, I guess.   _

_If you did that, of course, you'd have to allow Chi-chi to beat the heck out of Babidi with her frying pan ^^ _

_Well, guess I'll have to wash out their mouths with soap. Ooshii will help, I'm sure. (Kurai: *holds up Ivory Spring with a grin*) _

_o.o__ Woah, wait, aren't we coming to conclusions a little bit early? Poor Okiri o.o _

_Okiri__: *scurrying away from Vegeta* Eep!_

_Ah, yea, I know, I wasn't trying to portray him as evil. Did I? Crud if I did. _

**Whocanstandagainstme****- **_^^ helpIcan'tfindthespacebar.__ Good point there. But what happens when you mix purple and green? Hmm… _

Done! *whoo* That seemed to take longer than normal. Or perhaps I'm going insane. Probably the latter. *still fawning over Adrienne D's picture* Woooow… 

Seems a lot of people are questioning the cursing issue. Maybe I'll take them out… Hmm… *uncertain* I guess it's kinda an un-Son-ish sort of thing to do, but… Ah. Whatever. I'll decide it sometime. 

Okie dokie, I gotta go do fun stuff that life demands ^^ School tomorrow, but no school week after! *cheers* And LotR comes out on Wednesday. Finally my mom will stop asking. Sheesh.

Thanks for reading! Valete! 

Juujuu: *sniff* I didn't get to say barely anything this chapter. 

Okiri: ^^ I like taking up the spotlight! Woo! 

Goku: *gasps* You cursed this chapter! *chases after them with soap* 

Babidi: I cursed too! In two ways! *proud of self* 

Dabbie: *pats his master on the shoulder* 

Pui Pui: …I won the bet, didn't I? So where's my money? 

*silence* 

Pui Pui: *sulks* This isn't fair… 


	16. Cessation

Salvete!

I finally got around to writing this a few weeks ago, and my beta seems to be being lax in her duties so I'm going to shove it up without editing. Sorry if there's excessive mistakes ^^; 

I found a place for my Stephen King quote! *happiness* Can't believe it.

Exams from heck are coming next week, so don't be surprised if nothing is posted. My teachers are trying to murder me. I swear. 

Disclaimer: I no own! Never did, never will! If I did… *shakes head* Poor, poor Gohan. 

Last time…

_That energy._ Nearby. So, so nearby. Okiri smiled faintly, cracking the crimson blood which had dried upon his lips.__

_((We were… wrong…)) _

_ ((We don't… we are not Goku's son.)) _

_((I'm almost there… Just… Got to… Hold on…)) _

_ Okiri's eyes closed. He toppled over the edge of the sand dune. _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 16

Cessation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_"(I love do you love_**

**_(So hot the sun is like a burning glass it was in her hair and_**

**_it's_****_ the light I remember best the light the summer light_**

**_(the summer light of)_**

**_(do you do you do you love)_**

**He whispered, "Do you love?" **

**Somewhere, far across the lake, a loon screamed." **

**~**_Stephen King, "The Raft"_****

**"Listen for the sound… As it all comes crashing down…" **

**~**_Thrice, "Paper Tigers"_

Blackness.

            ((We had to, Juujen. We couldn't do anything else…)) 

            _I'm confused…_

            ((Juujen. Please. It was… He would've only killed us…))

            _What happened?_

_            Gohan was giving up._

_            Where are we now?_

            ((All along.)) 

            _Juujen__?__ He sounds like he's… upset…_

            ((What? You're… You're ok.)) 

            _Okiri__ sounds relieved._

_            Juujen sounds upset._

            ((All along, that's what he's been doing. Holding our power down. It's a farce, you see!?)) _He's upset._ ((A _farce!_ He knew we would win that fight- he wanted us to win. To kill someone. Kill that… that child! How can you just… you just say that! We just _murdered_ someone! We might as well just throw ourselves at Babidi's feet- offer our hands so he can turn us into mindless slaves! That's what we are, Okiri- we're dead. We're evil. We're murdering, mindless drones working for a twisted wizard…)) 

            ((_Shut up!)) _

            Silence. _They're mad. They're very mad. What's going on?_

            ((Shut up. I know. I know what is going on. But what can we do? We don't know what he will do with us. Where he's taking us.)) 

            ((We will know. We'll know when he wants us to know. And then we'll kill someone else. Maybe we'll kill Mom. Or Dad. How about that, Okiri? Maybe we'll kill Mr. Piccolo.)) A laugh. A cruel, hurt laugh. ((Maybe we'll kill them all. Babidi would be so gracious as to let us go SSJ2 again, I'm sure. We're strong enough- strong enough to destroy each and every one.)) 

            ((Don't say that!)) 

            _So angry…___

            Okiri wasn't done yet. ((You're giving up! You always give up! There when it's easy, but no, when it gets harder, when we've actually got to prove ourselves, then it's goodbye, off to sulk and watch our family die once more…! I don't care what Babidi does. But I'm not giving up.)) A bitter whisper. ((I'll never give up.)) 

            Light flooded his vision- the arena, that arena which he hated and bonded with simultaneously. 

            Goku breathed in. 

            He was growing tired- the stress of the day was enough to send most humans crashing to their knees. He was feeling tired, very tired, and who knew what the hell was going on in the real world. He was stuck in dreams. Hopeless dreams. Dreams of his son's demise… Past events he could do nothing to stop! Hopeless. 

            Goku breathed out.

            It seemed that Gohan's emotions were taking more toll than he thought… His breath felt shaky, his mind was whirling and he didn't know quite where to place each thought. He was confused, and lost, and he couldn't help but stare at the world around him with asinine curiosity and feel the dark feelings of his 12-year-old son. 

            The feelings which seemed to encase his son's mind and reach into his own were so entwined together, fear and hope and anger, that he could barely tell them apart. It was just a bold palette of emotions which took on, when combined, one indescribable feeling that overwhelmed him with the urge to fall to his knees. 

            And with that, he realized with even more certainty, a sure sign came. _Babidi's__ succeeding…  _

            Dabura entered.

            The _real atmosphere that had enveloped him before had disintegrated. This was simply _surreal_. Strange. As if he was watching a silent movie. But he could see Dabura's feet tap against the dirt. He knew there was sound there. And he heard, it, too, because his son stood next to him. _

            It was silent. 

            In his mind.

            Neither Okiri nor Juujen spoke. Gohan thought not a word- he simply stared, cold, steadfast, at his opponent. They were in the air and their shins and fists and feet and forearms were connecting, hair was flashing brilliant gold and eyes were twisting to a deep blue-green. 

            Silence.

            Goku fidgeted. 

            Silence. 

            "Too bad you can't fight me like you fought Master Kadura's slave…" Dabura drawled, casually avoiding a roundhouse kick. 

            Silence. Perhaps a twinge of anger at the back of his mind, within the silky black melding of emotion; it was too quick, Goku couldn't pinpoint it before it had fluttered away. Gohan moved slightly faster, bringing a fist into the demon's stomach. First blow landed. 

            The former King of Hell responded with a punch to the cheek that sent the half-breed wheeling back. They stayed that way, stationary, one huffing, one not in the least bit perturbed. 

            Goku noticed something at the exact time Gohan's opponent did. 

            In past fights- every fight Goku had ever seen his son participate in-eye contact with the opponent had been held. Whether it was the bout with Vegeta so many years before or the high-stake game with Cell, he had held eye contact. It was his way. Never look away unless you have to: intimidation. Something Goku always kept in mind in battle. Most likely something Gohan himself had picked up from his father, perhaps even from his Saiyan heritage. 

            But something was off…

            Gohan was looking through Dabura. 

            His eyes were down, a little to the right. Not boring holes in the demon king. Staring away. Away from the fight. 

            Dabura grinned. 

_            No. What's going to happen… _

_            Why ask?_

            Babidi was in the doorway. 

_            Why should I ask?_

_            I know what's going to happen._

            Goku's heart stopped. 

            And the half-breed had realized too- he stared at Babidi, and then looked to Dabura. His eyes were narrowed. His mind was silent. 

            The demon king was not deterred when the 12-year-old disappeared from vision momentarily, shooting upward, through the artificial sky of glass. It shattered, revealing the cerulean atmosphere, bare of moisture-bearing clouds. 

            Broken, jagged sheets of colored crystal were cascading down in a mesmerizing shower. They danced and dashed upon the ground, scattering in all directions. A serrated, deadly shard shot through Goku's chest. Babidi stepped back. 

            Dabura was after his prey- Goku closed his eyes, saw what Gohan saw. He was arcing up, over Babidi's sprawling complex, sweet free air rushing over his face; Dabura was behind him. The sky was so blue.

            Freedom.

            Capture.

            Ruby arms encircled his chest, pinned his arms to his sides, and descent began to the ground just outside the dwellings of the Majin. Coppery dust shot up in a plume, blinding them all; Goku was outside, standing at the doorway, beside Babidi. He stared. Gohan was struggling, vainly, crying out in nameless opposition. 

            The vermilion dust rose to the sky.  

            Dabura fought to get to his feet, finding difficulty in restraining the thrashing child; movement caught the very edge of Goku's vision. He looked down. The wizard's arms were extended. Gohan fell limp. 

            Two aliens, a species which Goku did not recognize or comprehend, strode forward, grabbing the lax halfbreed from Dabura. On his knees, arms secured by the twin strangers, Gohan fought to raise his head, to stare at this nightmare that presented itself in the form of a wrinkled, pathetic toad. 

            Babidi strode forward. Gohan struggled back. With the wizard's spell obviously dropped, he found the ability to burst into Super Saiyan- desperate, he pulled away from the slightly surprised guards, rising to his feet only to find his knees weak and unable to support any weight. He fell backwards; the Majin were on him again, tighter this time.

            Goku stared.

            Silence. 

            _What does he fear?_

_            He doesn't even think it._

_            He just… fears._

            Goku closed his eyes, tried to wipe out the image. This only allowed Gohan's sight to take over- Babidi, so close, grinning, grinning…

            Gasping, he opened his eyes again. _I know what he fears._

            _Is this the end?_

            Babidi was still smiling. 

            "Kadura may have been displeased with your performance in the arena, but I am not. In one month we will leave this planet for another, two stars to the east- the king is holding a tournament. You will enter it." 

            "East." The child spoke. Croaked, really. Goku was surprised. He had expected no speech from Gohan. "East is…" 

            "You will win it. And then we will move on to the next system. And the next. Until we have made ourselves known to the Kai themselves! Then we will accept the ultimate prize, the one Dabura and I have been striving for for centuries. We will reclaim Majin Buu." 

            The half-breed's head hung down. "East is…" 

            "My father placed his grand creation on a planet, in its dormant state. The Kai murdered him. I will reclaim his creation, destroy the planet, and complete the task my father started." 

            "East… E-east is…" 

            "Dabura was watching this planet. Curiosities arose. More misfortunes than most planets can withstand rained upon it. It always recovered. Then a strange event occurred. Dabura saw a child, a child with great potential. And to our great luck, he died. My father took over from there. With his magic and my help he managed to revive that child. And I took over. We will complete the task my father, Bibidi, started." He stopped, stared at the child, the half-breed with head bowed. He placed a finger beneath his chin. "What a wonderful prize you were, and are. I will enjoy watching you murder again. And again… And again… Until we reach Earth." 

            Babidi pulled upwards with his hand. Unresisting, Gohan raised his head. Charcoal eyes glistened. The whisper was barely heard. "East is… _home_…" 

            "The decision is yours." Babidi broke into a more clipped tone, dropping his arm. Gohan continued to hold his head up. "You will fight, either way. Or you will die. And if you die…" He did not break eye contact with the boy as he began to pace back and forth. "We will bring you back again. And again. And again. You will fight in the arena, but if you do refuse, and you do cause me any more trouble, I will personally hold you down while Dabura slaughters your father before your very eyes." 

            Strength seemed to flood temporarily into the half-breed. "My father is stronger than Dabura or you. You have no effect on him." He paused, struggled to recapture his composure. "He _will_ kill you." 

            "And if you resist, I will make sure he kills you, too," Babidi replied smoothly. "The earthlings do not know about us. They are clueless. I doubt your family will last long against my warriors. And I doubt any of the Earthlings will stand a chance against my father's creation." 

            "My father and his allies will never let you get near them. They will sense you coming and destroy you." 

            _He sounds like a broken record. The first thought that managed to voice itself within Goku's mind. __And you were wrong, Gohan, because we weren't__ strong enough for them… _

            "I know about this ki-sensing ability." Babidi studied his fingernails in an attempt at casual attitude before returning his sneering gaze to the boy once more. "I know how to mask it, too, just as I force it upon you now." 

            Gohan was left dumb. 

            No way to talk around it anymore…

            ((No, no don't give in.)) 

            Goku perked in hope. Gohan was alive. He was thinking. He had heard Okiri's signature voice. Next Juujen would chime in. Maybe all hope wasn't lost. Maybe they would live to fight another day… 

            Juujen didn't chime in.

            "Do you surrender, boy? It is up to you whether your family lives or dies. If you resist, I _will_ destroy Earth. I will kill everyone upon it, down to the last… little… child."

            This seemed to strike a nerve, if that was even possible. Gohan was pale, shaking. He closed his eyes, took a breath.

            "And perhaps, if you cooperate, I will spare it. Allow those on it to live on in peace. It is your choice." 

            Silence. Gohan was shaking. Goku was still. Deathly still. Just standing, staring, trying to understand… Okiri did not speak. Juujen did not speak. 

            Silence broken. 

            Babidi had been waiting patiently. Finally, eyes narrowed, he approached the boy. "Well?" 

            ((Don't do it, don't do it, we can't give in…)) 

            Silence. 

            ((Did you listen to the stakes? We're going to kill hundreds in the arena to save a precious few! How does that even out?)) 

            Silence. 

            _Please, Juujen, listen…_

            Gohan was shaking.

            Eyes opened. 

            ((Please.))

            _Don't. _

            "Yes." 

            Babidi's grin threatened to split his face in two. "It's settled then! Right choice, boy! Now just stay still…" 

            ((Wait, wait, no…)) And Gohan was struggling, eyes flashing teal, pulling back against the pair of living restraints; but Dabura had an arm around his neck, holding him in a headlock with ease. 

            The demon's whisper reminded the Saiyan just who Dabura was. The head honcho of Hell. The devil himself. "You've made a deal, boy, which I'm sure you'll regret…" 

            It was a torrent invisible to the two aliens that watched- however, Dabura saw it, Gohan saw it, Babidi saw it. Goku saw it, as well, and wished he did not.

            It was scarlet.

            Bright scarlet, like the feathers of a cardinal he had once seen in the winter snow. But it wasn't soft or warm like the bird- it was bright, malevolent scarlet, reaching for his son, enveloping him… Goku covered his ears, knowing that a scream would come next. A scream. 

            But no scream resounded, according to the ears of the two guards, the demon king, or the son of Bibidi. 

            To Goku, however, it was as if the world had just exploded. 

            Amazingly, the scream that resounded in his head was only of one soul, but it did not seem so. For the force behind this scream was unearthly. Penetrating. Voiceless, utter pain. 

            It was the sound of a soul breaking apart. 

            And indeed, that was what even the voice, the body of the cry sounded like- as if it were fracturing. From one crescendo of melded light and dark, strength and intellect, black and white… Part was fading. Light. Intellect. White. Fading. Disappearing. Leaving only the terrified, solo bellow of dark, black strength. A voice alone that should never be alone. 

            It died. 

            Silence.

            Goku fell.

~*~

            Breath. 

            Ragged.

            He choked- his throat seemed stuffed with cotton. Coughed. Hard. And then the world was blazing around him, burning away at every part of his being. 

            The sun above. The ground below. It burned. 

            Instinctively, he rolled; and with luck the sun faded and the ground cooled. A soft hiss met his ears; eyes opened, despite the fatigue that seemed to make up his entire body at the moment. 

            Irritated at his intrusion, the nameless lizard flicked a serpentine tongue his way, making its way out from the cool haven of the rock's shade and into the hellish light. Ignoring the fact that sand was currently grinding into wounds that already hurt on their own, he tried to regain his thoughts, his mind, soothed by the darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Worried* Was it ok? I checked for stuff this time ^^ I got rid of some unintentional repetition. Some repetition is intentional this chapter, as you could probably tell. My beta never did send back the checked-over version for this chapter, so I admit to any mistakes, although I did check over it about 5-6 times extensively. 

Sorry for the wait, again, I was awaiting the return of my beta with my chapter but I eventually gave up ^^ I hope this chapter is satisfactory for you. 

Oh, yes, you see, I decided to skip part of this due to the fact that it just seemed boring and I didn't feel it necessary to put you all to sleep with yet another explanation of Gohan's changes. But, that one fight that I skipped over explains his sudden change of mood and Juujen's spontaneous mute-attack. If you want to guess for yourself what happened (there are hints within the chapter) than feel free to do so! But if you are totally confused, you can read at my Livejournal account on the entry for Sunday, January 18 (there are several entries there but look for the one that is, most likely, at the top of the page- click on the link I provide). 

Soooo…. I will attempt to update Serendipity soon, but it is having a difficult moment ^^ Not that anyone here would degrade themselves to read _that story *shudder* _

I drew an illustration for Kokuhaku, and it is currently posted at my Side7 account. Excuse all extreme cruddiness, but it was fun to draw, anyhow ^^ See if you can guess where each section came from (a few were from the part I omitted, such as where Gohan turns SSJ2, but… that's pretty self-explanatory, I thought). 

Next time…

_Still utterly silent, his fist closed, then released; the warped wire clattered to the ground._

A true slave.

Kami.

_((_**Stop it!_!))   _**

_The Saiyan-unwittingly the last full-blooded Saiyan alive, at the moment-stared with wide eyes at the rumbling crowd, looking from one murderous face to the next. Was the universe such a cruel place that these aliens thrived?_

_He followed his son._

Reviewer response! No Adrienne D this time. Oh well ^^ I still love you all! *passes out cookies to reviewers*

**KirbMaster****- **_^^; "bang-your-head-on-the-keyboard function?"__ I believe my neighbor sat on the keyboard to see what happens when you press all the buttons at once. The computer crashed and they had to buy a new one o.o; Well, anyways. Back to the review. _

_Poor Okiri, always getting blamed for stuff --; It's not his fault- Juujen was a wuss and he gave in to Babidi. I blame it on Juujen, myself ^^ I'm so mean to the softies, sheesh… _

_Yay__! Emoticons ^^ _

**Angel of Migranes- _Angel of killer headaches ^^ Thank you! Sorry it took so darn long. _**

**SSJ5Tigger- _Hyperactive, aren't we? Is Gohan evil or good? Depends what half you're looking at ^^ As you can tell, now, Juujen is under Babidi's control, so technically, he's "evil." Okiri's the only one left. He was good at first when he was revived by Bibidi, but when Juujen gave in, technically half of Gohan turned bad. Now, whenever, Babidi is in control, he's evil, but when he lets Okiri take over, he's good. Confusing, isn't it?_**

_*laughing* Go Bob ^^ _

_Thanks for the review. Good laugh. _

**The ShadowPanther- _--; I need to review Vigilante Angel. Eep. ^^ I refer to myself as Skadu on the sidelines, but SP2 would work too (--; Number. I hate_ the number! Urg, I didn't have a number, but nooo…) __**

_Yay__! Someone's on my side! Go Okiri! *cheers*_

_Okiri__: *suckin' it up* You know it._

_Juujuu__: --; I hate you all. *sniff, sniff*_

_KirbMasterX__ is on your side…_

_Juujuu__: Hey, you're right! *sticks out tongue at Okiri*_

_Okiri__: …That's 2-1, Juujuu. Do the math. …__Turkey__! *snatches*_

_Juujuu__: Study material! *snatches*_

_Okiri__: Nerd._

_Juujuu__: Pig. _

_KGoku__ is Kokuhaku Goku (I refer to them that way ^^; I guess I don't need to, but it's to avoid confusing Goku from this story with Serendipity Goku)_

_Sorry it took so long to update. _

**Ooshii**** Kurai: _I think I've got the name down! Mwahaha! *proud* _**

_The soap fad ^^ Sheesh.__ Soap and frying pans. Every demi-Saiyan's nightmare. _

_*laughing* Yugi, secret agent…_

_Wouldn't Kenshin stick out too? Red hair. You should send Gohan ^^; Goku the sub muse! Yay Goten ^^ Too cute to pass up. _

_Sheesh__, poor Ooshii…_

**Crystal Cat-Chan- _^^ You'll find out with Goten. Actually, he's not looking for Shin. You'll find that out, too, probably next chapter. Or the chapter after. Juujen is the nice one, but all the things that have been happening are taking their toll on him and it's difficult for him to deal with. Thanks for the review! Glad you like it ^^ _**

**The guy who poses as Osama bin Laden- _^^; Nice name.__ Thank you. _**

Well, reviews done, ready to get this thing up (finally!). So sorry it took so long to post! Again, look to my livejournal account for explanation of the part I skipped. 

            You can see my crappy artwork, too, at my Side7 gallery ^^ It's on my author page. Just look for the blue link. 

Thanks for reading!

Valete!


	17. Odi et Amo

Hiya!

            Yay, chapter 17! ^^; I considered cutting some of this but I decided it should stay so you all were a bit more… informed. Oh, by the way, if you were looking for the explanation in my Livejournal, I didn't get around to posting it until Tuesday, January 20th. It's rather far down the page. Just look for the "(explanation)" in pink-ish text in the entry posted at 3:30 P.M. 

            Well, snow days are over, the new semester has begun, and I hope to finish part one of this by its' one-year anniversary. There will (I estimate) be about… 1 more chapter for the dream, then we're out of the dream and into the real world again. That'll go on for at least 5 more chapters. *crosses fingers* If I update regularly I might get it done… (I can't believe I've been working on this so long! Around this time last year I started writing Serendipity.) 

            Disclaimer: I no own Dragonball Z, or Deftones, or Catullus for that matter… 

            Last time… 

_His eyes were down, a little to the right. Not boring holes in the demon king. Staring away. Away from the fight. _

No. What's going to happen… 

Why ask?

_ Babidi was in the doorway. _

Why should I ask?

I know what's going to happen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 17

Odi et Amo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"I get all… numb…**

**We're the same… numb…**

**And it brings our knees to the earth…" **

~_Deftones__, "Minerva"_

**"Odi et amo.**** Quare id faciam, fortasse requires. **

**          Nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior.**

I love and I hate. Perhaps you ask why I do this.

          I do not know, but I feel it happening and I am tormented."

~_Catullus_

Breath. 

            Slow, at first, then sharp increase, and eyes were open. 

            It was dark here, wherever "here" was. 

            ((What… No… Where….))

            So quiet. 

            ((Juujen.))

            Gohan was lying down; he was immobile against the biting chill of the floor- Goku could both feel and barely see this. Okiri seemed to be in complete control. 

            Of course. Juujen's dead. 

            Dead? How can even a _wizard_ kill off half of a person's soul?

            Goku did not know. He did not question. He simply accepted. 

            ((Where am I?)) 

            I've been asking the same thing…

            No reply. Darkness.

            Hands tried to shift- to Goku's surprise, and Okiri's as well, metal bit at the movement. 

            ((I'm tied up?)) Eyes closed. Metal could now be felt around his ankles, too. ((I can't move.)) 

            ((What happens next? What am I expected to do? I'm alone… I've never been alone…)) 

            Goku sat. He didn't feel it, but he did it anyways. He studied the boy on the floor, immobile, silent, charcoal eyes wide and staring. He felt the apprehensive emotion that the 12-year-old was sending his way, that and a taint of fear. 

            ((Alone.))

            _Alone…___

            ((Is it my fault? Did I let him go?)) 

            _No. I let you go. _

            ((I should've realized sooner what was happening. I should have focused in that fight. Then Dabura wouldn't've seen… Seen and brought Babidi…)) 

            Gohan's eyes were closed again. ((He shouldn't've seen. Never should've seen…))

            "I've failed." 

            Light flooded the room-it was revealed to be a room-and Goku held up an arm to shade stinging eyes. The stinging did not fade, of course, as the source was Gohan and Gohan was unable to raise an arm. Finally, with eyes closed tight, the boy looked away. 

            Dabura smirked. "Sorry for the slightly uncomfortable quarters. Babidi has been conserving energy for the arena." 

            ((The arena…)) 

            "Well? Get up!" A foot was planted in the demi-Saiyan's side; coughing, Gohan did not attempt to rise. Instead he simply laid prone, waiting for the demon to take note of the fact that the asked act was slightly impossible. 

            Grumbling to himself, the crimson-skinned being knelt, loosening the metal wire which bound his feet and hands. As the demi-Saiyan rose to his feet, Dabura passed a thoughtful eye over the jet-black material within his palm. Running an equally dark fingernail over it, he drawled in bored interest, "This is a strange metal. Ka'chin? Dense and virtually unbreakable. The hardest substance in the universe." He tossed the slightly bent material to the demi-Saiyan. "Get to know it. You'll be feeling it a lot until Master Babidi knows he can control you." (1)

            Without any further word, the demon turned, heading out the door. Okiri stared at the metal for a long moment. Still utterly silent, his fist closed; the warped wire clattered to the ground. Okiri headed after Dabura. 

            _A true slave._

_            Kami…_

            Goku's feet began to move; he walked forward. 

~*~ 

            _So… cool here… I can rest… Sleep… _

            The sand shifted beneath his breath. 

            The lizard which he had disturbed clambered over a final rocky crest. Weathered by centuries of pelting sand, the rock provided many jagged toeholds for the lithe creature. Soon he was halfway down the other side and back in the cool of the shade thoughtfully provided by a parallel outcropping of rock. Fully warmed by the sun, he was allotted time to chill his hide once more. 

            Here, too, though, he found a strange black-haired man. This one looked less worn- but even in peaceful slumber, he seemed troubled. An arm shifted, and landed unintentionally on the hapless lizard. Nearly leaping out of its pebbled skin, it scurried away, agitated by the constant interruptions. Couldn't a reptile get some decent shade anymore?

~*~ 

It was unbelievable. 

((He expects me to kill this many? In cold blood?)) The tone of Gohan's "saiyan" half grew grim. ((Juujen may have given in but I will not. He thinks he can bind me like an animal?)) 

Goku's eyes followed his son's, resting upon a gaggle of aliens. They were more than formidable. Thirty or more made up the group, each wielding a quite unpleasant-looking weapon. And then there was Gohan. Alone. Unarmed. His alabaster gi, unblemished, shone in the bright sunlight. 

Formidable to anyone but a half-Saiyan. 

The crowd around, however, was slightly more intimidating. 

The Tenkaichi Budokai attracted crowds. And true, the layout of this arena was similar. But it was not boxed like the Budokai arena- it was a round floor, surrounded by a rounded wall 30 feet high interrupted only 4 times by blockaded, tightly shut doors. Stadium seats arose far above the circular wall, filled to the brim with screeching hordes of aliens of all runs of life. (2)

Goku glanced over the crowd. All runs of the _lowliest_ of lives.  Bounty hunters. Drunkards. Murderers. He saw and judged them all within the crowd, side-by-side, roaring, drinking, awaiting the promised bloodbath. 

They wanted someone to die. 

A voice boomed across the arena, temporarily quieting the roar of the heathens- it was spoken in an alien tongue, neither Saiyan nor Namekian, and thus Goku was left in the dark. The "miracle translator" he had experienced before did not assist him this time. 

Okiri, however, seemed to realize just what was being said, perhaps catching certain phrases picked up on his own. 

((Wonderful, 30 versus 1. Love those odds. Well… I hope Babidi wasn't expecting a fight. I'm not offering one.))

With that thought, Okiri made a strange gesture across his chest, followed by a cautious bow. He never took his eyes off his opponents. The aliens before him glanced at each other in confusion, murmuring in their own tongues. The booming voice interrupted once more. 

Goku could easily translate the one word spoken. 

"Begin." 

Okiri repeated the symbol across the chest- this time, however, an alien strode forward, scowl marring his human-like features. He growled in the queer language that Goku had been hearing off and on throughout this entire ordeal; Okiri replied calmly in that same language, fluent and unblinking. 

((I-))

It stopped.

Okiri froze.

It was growing at the edge of his mind; something strange, foreign, malevolent. It burst over his conscious thought, temporarily blinding him. Goku surmised the same thing was happening with Okiri, for the demi-Saiyan stumbled backwards, eyes wide and unseeing. 

((Think you are alone in your thoughts, boy?)) 

((B-Babidi…! No w-way…)) 

((The deal you made is final. Soon you'll be erased too. But for now, I'll settle with controlling only half. Now just sit down and watch the show.)) 

((You-)) 

Numb spread through Goku's limbs.

Before he had felt normal, warm, alive. Now it was numb. He could not feel the wind on his face, the fabric on his skin. Or rather, on Gohan's skin. They were numb. They were both numb…

((I can't move!)) 

_But you are moving…_

One step, two step. The alien, bewildered, held up a crudely-forged sword in response. 

A punch. He was sent flying back; the opponents in his path scurried out of the way, in no rush to be flattened. 

            After a few seconds of staring at the first to fall, the assortment of fighters blinked dully, glanced up, and finally realized that the fight was commenced. With a roar they rushed forward- the crowd roared with them, a senseless mass, clamoring to the heavens for blood. 

            ((I can't… I can't move!)) Okiri sounded desperate, lost.

            Goku stared at his son. He bowed his head. _I'm sorry._

            ((Stop it! I can't move!)) 

            His body was moving now. Gohan was killing. One. And another. And another. 

            ((**_Stop it!_!))   **

Blow to the neck. Fatal.

            _"I want to be strong like you, Daddy!"_

            Blow to the head. Fatal.

            _"But I don't want to fight people…" _

            Kick- not fatal- body flung to ground at over 200 miles per hour-fatal.

            _"I don't want to hurt anyone."_

            A punch actually landed- reflexive elbow to head-fatal. 

            _"And I won't watch this any**more_!_**__" _

            Ki blast. Fatal.

            _((We were… wrong…))_

            Fatal.

            _((Everyone's gonna die!))_

            Fatal.

            _((I can't hurt anyone!)) _

            16.

            _Don't disappear again… please!_

            20.

            _((We've got__ to get out_ of here!))__

            30.

            _"I don't want to fight people..."_

            Innocent.

_            Don't disappear…_

            Innocent.

            _"I don't want to hurt anyone…" _

            All dead.

            _Don't disappear. _

            **_Don't disappear. _**

            It wasn't a scream, this time. It was not the outcry that he expected to overwhelm his mind. But it was still enough to bring his knees out from beneath him.

            His mind was silent; it did not dare to register a thought, because the silent tidal wave of emotion that had caused him to fall to the earth threatened to engulf him at any notion. Even in utter silence though, he couldn't stand it; he couldn't feel himself anymore, he was lost, lost in a sea of torment and pain and emotions he didn't dare to understand… All of them swamping his vision and all of them originating from Gohan… From Okiri. Unfeeling fingers went to grasp aching temples, but even this did not lessen the effect. Goku bit his tongue, fighting back the urge to scream himself at the immense pressure that was slamming upon his conscious. 

            It was gone.

            Eyes opened, the world in sudden sharp clarity. He stared at the dirt before him, at the knees which dug into dirt even though he could not feel them there. A droplet of sweat ran cool between his fingers. Or was it Gohan? 

            Was it sweat… or blood? 

            He felt numb. Empty. 

            Okiri. 

            _16… You loved life… You gave everything up to save it… And you were just an android. I let you die. _

_I let you die. _

_            I let everyone die. _

The match was over.

            Silence claimed all- the drunkards, hard-core murderers, bounty hunters that filled the stadium seats with their putrid smell merely stared, some aghast, some barely registering what had just happened. They stared. Silent. At the 12-year-old half breed that stood in the midst of a sea of bodies. 

            Crimson was smudged across his face, his clothes. Not his own. 

            Not his own. 

            Gohan turned; he walked smoothly, wordlessly, towards the nearest of the doors. He disappeared into the darkness. 

            Recovering from their daze, a roar suddenly ripped through the stadium. It was what they wanted, right? Blood? Death?

            The Saiyan- unwittingly the last full-blooded Saiyan alive, at the moment- stared with wide eyes at the rumbling crowd, looking from one murderous face to the next. Was the universe such a cruel place that these aliens thrived?

            He followed his son.

~*~

            Air travel certainly was a better way to get around. 

            The creature which had been labeled as gremlin, toad, frog, and many other unsavory descriptions, couldn't avoid the malevolent smirk which tugged at the corner of his mouth relentlessly. Pale yellow eyes trailed over the train below, keen and sharp for his lost sheep. 

            _Well, seems I just can't take my eye off him… _

            Stretching beneath him, penetrated only by jagged outcroppings, the desert seemed empty of all life. And it most likely was; Babidi couldn't ask for anything more. Life was so utterly disgusting at times. 

            He glanced to a closer object; Buu's rosy, pudgy arms easily withheld the weight of the small child, also buffering the son of Goku from the strong winds. The child itself slept placidly, utterly unperturbed- this, in itself, was highly ironic. Babidi allowed a laugh to manifest itself. 

            "Buu is bored." 

            Immediately, his ecstatic mood dropped to aggravation. "Buu, you just said that two minutes ago. I _know." _

            "What we do with boy? Where we go? Buu want to _do something!" _

            "Well, we will do something. We'll blow up this measly planet in a few hours if you'd just be a little bit patient!" 

            "…Buu is hungry." 

            "You just ate Dabura awhile ago." 

            "...Buu is still-" 

            "I know, I know, we'll eat something soon, too. Perhaps you can have that little boy for a snack in a few minutes." 

            The obese creature glanced down, inspecting this new prospect for a meal. "He make good candy." 

            "Good, good. Now shut up and fly." 

            "Okie-day! Candy! Candy!" 

            After several loop-de-loops, Babidi finally shouted, "Buu!" 

            Settling slightly into a more orthodox flight pattern, Bibidi's creation contented himself with whistling a random tune. 

            Crisis over, Babidi shook his head, winding pale olive-skinned hands further into the pudgy creation's violet cape. His mind, crafty and sharp as usual, returned to its former train of thought without a moment's wait. 

            _Where are you, my little Okiri? I have a wonderful_ surprise for you.  __

            The wizard closed his eyes and focused. 

~*~ 

            In the hallway which the exiting door led to, it was dark. The only light tossed about was a thin sheet of golden illumination which sliced out from the crack between the two thick doors. It was tossed haplessly across the floor and wall, a single line of warmth among the midnight chill. The hall was empty and unmarked, as well, except for a thin, deathly still puddle within the corner. Goku took this in with surreal detail; but then, he turned to his son. Was it even his son anymore? 

            The malignant carmine, now blackened by the shadows, continued to travel in silence down the boy's face; it was stained into his clothes, spreading, as if it were taking over his entire essence. A slim amount parted from drenched hands to splash against the impermeable, grayed surface below. There they stood for several minutes, one a ghost, one wishing for anything but life, in utter silence. Then Gohan-Okiri, Goku corrected-swayed, collapsed against the uncaring wall. The stained cloth of his gi rustled as he slid to the floor. 

            Again, several minutes of silence ensued; then Okiri slowly rose, stumbled across the passageway; he stared at the pale reflection of himself within the silver-tainted surface. A droplet of blood, vermilion blood, fell from his face, breaking the reflection and reaching out with scarlet tendrils to taint the crystalline, innocuous liquid. A shudder ran through the child's frame; and, like a wave within the ocean, it carried to Goku as well. 

            Gohan promptly doubled over and retched.  

            Done, he ran a shaking hand across his lips, smearing them further with the horrifying crimson. He allowed himself to move backwards again until his back met the stoic wall once more; and there the charcoal-eyed, jet haired boy sat, knees pressed tight to his chest, in silence both physically and mentally. Arms slowly encircled the bent legs; and silently, slowly, his head fell to his knees. 

            The older Saiyan, unable to do any more than stare, found himself falling to the ground as well, sitting in a position nearly identical to that of his son. He did not allow his head to fall, however; he stared at the unblemished wall ahead. His mind silently prodded the silence, waiting for anything, a word, a scream, _anything. Nothing came. _

            _Please. Speak. For me. _

_            I don't want to sit here in silence…_

_            Please, say something. Don't just sit here. Do something, say something, let me know you're alive. _

_            If you're not alive, then I might have to kill you. _

_            Why am I seeing this? Am I supposed to let you live, now? You killed all those people at the budokai. You're a Majin; I can't let you live. That's what you want me to do, right…? Kill you. Are you the one showing me all this, Gohan? To tell me to kill you?_

_            I don't think I can, though. I… I can't kill you. I'd like to think I'm strong enough to do that, to do that for you, but I guess… I guess I'm selfish. I can't let you go. Even after I thought you were totally dead, I couldn't let you go… I can't ever let you go. If I killed you, and brought you back, what would you be? A haunted soul. Someone who's seen so much more than they should. Someone who's done so much more than they should. _

_            You were supposed to be a pure soul, like me, right? How could it have come to this? _

            His eyes stung, and it was an unfamiliar feeling that tore away at his stomach, at the very framework of his soul. But he did not do a thing he had seen those around him do very often, a thing he himself could not recall ever doing; he did not cry. No, not even after Gohan had died, the years after full of guilt and dark reflection, did he cry. And this time was no different. 

            ((I felt a weird energy within Mom before I died.)) 

            Goku's head shot up; he had not realized that it had dropped to his knees. Gohan had not shifted in position at all, but Okiri's voice continued, clear and yet shaking with sorrow. ((I felt the same thing in Bulma, once. Mom's pregnant. Maybe it's a boy. I don't know. I wonder what they named it?)) 

            _Goten__. He's wonderful, too. But nothing like you… Is it wrong that I don't love you two equally? Maybe I do. Just so… differently. Goten is so much like me… And I hate me. I hope he'll change. Change so that he's nothing like me. Nothing should ever be like me… because I'm a monster. _

A wan smile pulled at his lips. 

            _After all, look what I've done to you, Gohan._

((I wonder what they would think if they knew how I have turned out… I guess they'll find out in a few years, right?)) Gohan's head raised; eyes still pressed tightly closed, a hot sting ran down Goku's left cheek. He stared as a silvery line cut its way through the sticky maroon coating his son's face; then a twin heat ran down his right cheek; and another trail began to blaze down Gohan's. The boy's shoulders shook, head tilting downwards slightly once more. 

            _Look what I've done to you…_

            Suddenly the child's head shot up, eyes wide open and taking in the world with acute attention; for one insane moment, Goku almost thought his statement had been heard, but then he realized Gohan was staring in the exact opposite direction of himself. A quick wave of flaxen ki washed over the boy, incinerating any salty tears. The blood, more stubborn, stayed in place. Then Gohan was on his feet, facing the shadows with shoulders broad and figure steadfast. 

            ((I have failed... But I won't allow Babidi to control me.))

            The mentioned wizard stepped forward, clapping loudly, cackling with elation. Dabura eyed the young demi-Saiyan with obvious amusement masked beneath distaste. Goku realized he was focusing so hard on Okiri's speech that he did not hear the wizard's cachinnation. 

            ((I won't give in.)) 

            _Or have you already…? _

Goku shivered. 

~*~ 

            Awareness gave him a nice, sharp slap to the face; eyes shot open, only to smart and close again as sunlight poured in with voracity, imprinting a blinding image upon his eyelids. He offhandedly wondered if he had burned his retinas. 

            Carefully, cautiously, he did his best to sever all feeling to his body as he opened bloodshot eyes once more and rolled over pathetically, shoulder slamming into a jagged rock as he did so. He avoided a curse and focused on rising to his feet. Amazingly, his feet held beneath him, pressing into the arid sand; he imagined, of course, that he was running on adrenaline alone. Droplets of ruby-tainted perspiration fell to the earth, only to disappear upon contact.

            _Now, where was I before my little afternoon siesta?_

            He looked down in amazement to find that his arm was shaking uncontrollably; he couldn't stop it, and he did not bother. Struggling through the murky exhaustion threatening to overtake him, he finally remembered: _him. With utmost heed, he extended his "6th" sense, reaching for that familiar energy. _

            _How ironic, I almost gave up right before I succeeded. _

One hand, fingers chillingly numbed as they felt over the jagged outcropping, took a hold. Secured, the opposite hand reached upwards, for the next secure hold. 

            He climbed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(1)- Ka'chin? Is that how it's spelled? It's the material Shin conjured up that broke the Z sword in the series. ^^; I was spelling it by ear… 

(2)- Think of the Roman Colosseum. Looks just like it. 

Woot! Another chapter done ^^ Was it okay? It probably had some issues in it, I'm sure. Did anyone catch where those quotes came from, at the apex of the arena fight? Some were from this story, some were from the actual series. See if you can identify them all ^^

Hmm… Not really much to talk about this chapter ^^; Seems Adrienne D has disappeared! *sniff* She was such a good reviewer too… Oh well, I still have my reviewers *hug* I seem to be getting behind on my writing, again. I need to finish off next chapter and then I can get that up as well (I'm on a temporary lull with Serendipity, obviously). For the moment I only have about half of it written, which I previewed for you a long while back. 

            Next chapter… 

_            Shin stood. Shin walked out. _

_            The Supreme Kai abandoned him. _

_            Breath rattled in and out of the Saiyan's throat, sweat pouring down his face. "Shin… Kai…" _

_Those emotionless stones.__ Burning with no emotion. Just two glittering stones tossed in a sea of blood. _

_((Dad will be mad…))_

            (It's Friday! And I just came back to school today! ^^ One-day weeks are awesome.) Let's see… Reviews… o.o 163!? I never imagined so many. ^^ You all are the best, I have to say. Sooo…

            **Simba-rulz****- _^^; Sorry I made you wait so long. I'm so lazy… Okie-chan, huh? That's so cute, lol ^^ At least the update was a bit quicker this time, right? 'Course, I had all week to work on it. _**

**Rarity88- _Hmm… Seems a lot of people missed Chapter 15. Perhaps because I posted over my author's note, rather than creating a whole new chapter…_**

**DBZ Chick1- _^^; Back to the old routine, I see. _**

**Ooshii**** Kurai- _Now that I've got it right, of course, I'm going to slip up and spell it wrong every other time. Ah, it's quality, not quantity. Chapter length doesn't matter as long as it's *good,* and yours always are. _**

_*gasp* How could Vegeta break the cookie promise? --; Vegeta is good at getting the men, but not at keeping 'em around. _

_            Ooshii showed up in WBLW, didn't he? Well… sort of. ^^; _

_            o.o Soap supply? *watches Okiri and Juujen cower in the corner* --; _

**Psychomaniac****- _See, it's finally up! It only took me all week! Mwahaha ^^ I'm just building up suspense, holding everything back… _**

**Astrozazel****- _Nifty! Astrozazel review ^^ Hehe. S'ok, I commend you for actually reviewing. I'm generally too lazy to write any reviews nowadays. _**

_            Not that I'd want you to be depressed, but that was the point I was trying to get across ^^ Glad it worked… You are so eloquent with reviews! Sheesh. I'm never like that. _

**Crystal Cat-chan- _^^; It was supposed to be. He isn't in a good position, after all. I doubt it'll get much lighter, either. Things kinda… spiral downhill. But I think it'll get a bit less depressing by the final chapter or so ^^ Good that things are clearing up for ya. Thankies ^^_**

**ForestFlwr****- _Cool ^^ I'll try to draw some more… But it's kinda hard. That was one of the easier ideas I've had o.o; Thanks for the review ^^ _**

            ^^ Woo! I love reading reviews. They're so fun… Seems SSJ5Tigger, KirbMasterX, and Adrienne D didn't show up this time around. How strange. 

            Well, back to work on Chapter 18… --; Funfun, more depressing stuff… 

Thanks for reading! Valete!


	18. Guilty as Charged

Hello!

Wow! I can't believe how _long _it's been. ^^; I feel so bad! Making you guys wait a month. Hopefully I won't fall so behind again. This time it's a double update, although it may be a day or two before Chapter 19 goes up, I'm having a bit of a crisis with the ending for that one o.o;

If, someday, I figure out how to fix the erratic spacing of these stupid chapters, I will be _ecstatic_. It's never uniform! Sometimes it spaces, sometimes it doesn't. It's _bizarre._  

Next chapter is the very end of the dream! Thank goodness! You guys have gotten tired of it, I'm sure. Sorry it's been dragging so much, but… it was kinda explaining things for you, right?

…Right?

Disclaimer: I no own DBZ, or From Autumn to Ashes (although I have their t-shirt ^^ …Ahem…)

And ah yes! Thanks to Digifan/Silver Americana for giving me the idea in the first place! She once referred to Gohan as unique because he is "exactly half Saiyan, half human." Goten leans a bit to the Saiyan side, as does Trunks, but Gohan was exactly half and half (that was the gist of our conversation). And thus, melded together with a what-if spawned from a lame fanfic on FF.net ("what if Goku didn't die in the Cell Games?"), Kokuhaku was born! 

Last time!

_Innocent.___

"I don't want to hurt anyone…" 

_ All dead._

Don't disappear. 

Look what I've done to you…

_((I won't give in.)) _

Or have you already…? 

_Goku shivered. _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 18

Guilty as Charged 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"And it breaks my heart to know**

**The only reason you are here now is**

**A reminder of what I'll never have**

**I'll never have… I'll never…**

**Standing so close, knowing that it kills me to breathe you in…" **

~ "Short Stories with Tragic Endings," From Autumn to Ashes 

_I must be connected directly to Okiri now._ That was the first thought that registered within the Saiyan's mind as he arrived at his next destination 

            _I feel like my head's about to split open… This helplessness…_

_            What is Juujen feeling, then?_

_            Perhaps he truly is dead. Perhaps Gohan is doomed. _

            Goku glanced up, ignoring the press of his son's mentality upon him, ignoring his own lingering and dark thoughts. Instead, he looked to the new surroundings, to his refreshed nightmare. 

            This time it was not a dark cell, a blood-drenched arena, nor a copper-tinged desert- he stood in an open marketplace, bustling with life and… happiness. Well, sure, his eyes fell upon a beggar, miserable in his rags. But his mind seemed to register something at the same time as Okiri thought it. 

            ((They're alive.)) 

            Goku continued to stare, eyes meandering over beings of all shapes and appearances, over stalls flashing all colors- even some metallic hues he had never quite seen before. And thrumming through it all was life, the complete opposite of the arena. The arena…Where was it? He glanced about, past the shouting and calling shopkeepers, over the mud-brick buildings, and a copper-splashed dome caught his eye as it glinted in the brilliant sun. An aura of… _sorrow_ seemed to overwhelm it. Goku turned away, eyes closed tightly. Okiri's comments continued. ((Of course they're alive, just like any other day, right? Another day in the market, then-ha-back to the city's arena for the fight. Then it's on to the next planet, on to the next slaughter. And we'll just merrily head along our way till we get to…)) The sarcastic tone dropped from his voice. A feeling of dread washed over Goku. ((Until we get there.)) 

            Both remained silent, ruminating. 

            ((Wonder what business Babidi has today…)) Okiri's attention turned away quickly, his inane babble continuing on. Goku smiled, a dark smile. Talking was probably the only thing that kept Okiri from snapping completely. How long would talking do the trick, though? Not forever. It had to end, someday, and when the talking stopped… So did the sanity. 

            He noted that Dabura stood nearby, eyes narrowed, seemingly completely at home in the sweltering heat; Babidi, between demi-Saiyan and demon king, was less pleased with the disconcerting temperature. Pale cheeks were flushed a deep red, sweat lolling down his face in a proficient amount. The Saiyan mused that eventually he would lose all body moisture and shrivel up into a little prune. If only. 

            "What are we _doing _among this _filth_, master?" Dabura drawled with obvious distaste. 

            Babidi glanced about, wiping a hand across his forehead. A fresh wave of perspiration replaced the vanquished liquid within milliseconds. Blinking furiously, the wizard peered through the crowds, responding in annoyance, "We have a visitor today. An important one, too. One we've been _waiting_ for…" Dabura seemed to mull over this  for a long moment before suddenly snapping to a conclusion, nodding in delayed understanding. Babidi grinned. "Aha."

            ((Who the heck is _that?_))  

_"--However, one day, he appeared at a tournament with a new fighter that no one had ever seen before- a 14-year-old half-Saiyan. No one knew who he was, but he dominated the arena, and thus began Babidi's rise to a reputation that even the Kais couldn't ignore…"_

            "Supreme Kai, glad to see you're still alive and kicking." 

            ((_Kai_….?))

            The pale-skinned Kai's ebony eyes glinted with ire. His servant, Kabito, stood stiffly at his side, eyeing Babidi's own scarlet-skinned servant coldly. Shin's focus faltered slightly, glancing to the stoic Gohan before returning to their original target.  "…This is your new warrior?" 

            Babidi took a sarcastic bow, grin wolfish. "So you've _heard_ of us." 

            Affronted, the Supreme Kai straightened his posture slightly. "We won't allow Buu to be revived, Babidi. I will be watching to see what this child of yours can do today." The Kai's voice dropped low, dangerous. "We will gather our forces, and we will defeat you the moment you reach Earth." 

            "Defeat us? With what all-powerful army, oh _grand_ Kai? Seems to me my father already killed off the other 3 Kai." The wizard continued to smirk wickedly. 

            "You laugh now, Babidi, but we defeated your father and we _will_ defeat you as well." Curtly, the Supreme Kai brushed past, allowing one last glance at the demi-Saiyan who had not moved for the entirety of the conversation. Then he disappeared into the crowd, Kabito hot on his heels. 

            Babidi's cachinnation immediately burst forth. "We have them quaking with _fear_, Dabura. They won't be able to lift a finger against us!" 

            The demon king seemed less amused; he looked to his master with slight worry. "Will Buu be able to defeat the Kai when we reach Earth, master?"

            "Are you kidding? _Softie _over here could defeat him. No, it's the Earthlings I'm worried about. Once we get past them and revive Father's creation, it's simple. Buu can defeat any of them in a heart beat." The toad-like creature curtailed his mirth, expression suddenly serious. Serious and twisted. "They won't know what hit them." 

            ((…)) 

            Goku almost laughed, but instead felt nausea grow in the depths of his stomach. _No, they _won't_. _

~*~

            His breath was uneven, as it had been for the last hour or so. Even as he stood at the summit of the sand-scarred rock, he wavered like a leaf in the breeze, frame trembling uncontrollably. His eyes remained transfixed upon the man who lay in the shadows, even as his own blood dripped to the stone below. 

            Then he looked away, to the sky which seemed to burn with the heat of the sun. A weak smile tugged at his lips. 

            ((I haven't smiled in so long…)) 

            Falling back to earth, he studied the almost untouched Saiyan in an almost nostalgic manner. But he couldn't do much else. He simply stared, wide-eyed, until finally he spoke. His voice was hoarse and barely audible. 

            "I'm sorry." 

~*~ 

            A fight.

            This time around, he did not stand next to his son- he found himself in the midst of the audience, feet resting against a litter-strewn stone stairway. Immediately he noticed the Supreme Kai and Kabito on his left. The circular ring, nearly identical to the arena in which Gohan's first slaughter had taken place, was bare and empty. No warriors had entered as of yet.

            Something was… different…

            With a jolt he realized what it was. The presence, the one that had been occupying his mind for what seemed like years, had disappeared. He could not feel the shaky strength of Okiri. The malignant pressure of Babidi. He couldn't feel the wind brush his son's skin, or hear the rustle of fabric. 

            Everything was silent. He could not feel his feet on the steps. He could not hear the drunkards swoon on either side of him, nor Shin's irritated cough as a particularly wasted alien keeled over and emptied his stomach upon the stone floor. He could not smell, could not taste, could not feel, could not hear. All he could do was think. 

            And he could only think one thing…

            _Why am I seeing this?_

A troupe of various-sized aliens, all bristling with armor and weapons, was trudging at a snail's pace into the arena, one by one. As if his senses were panicked by the silence, his brain quickly attempted to place sound, to add one thread of sanity to the madness. Thus he imagined the clank that resounded with each step, the resonation of metallic weapon against hardened armor. 

            The far door creaked open, and the single opponent stepped out; Goku looked away. Blissfully free of the sounds as the fight initiated, the Saiyan simply watched the Supreme Kai, monitoring any action. 

            At first it was simple stoicism. Then, after a few moments (images of the dead, he curtailed the thought quickly), shock. Disgust. 

            Seconds ticked away like eons. 

~*~

            The demi-Saiyan took a shuddering gasp, stared at his father one last time- he was so… so… Goku was the symbol of home. His father. How much he wanted just to…

            Slowly, a hand wound its way to his forehead- there it gripped tight, fighting the growing pressure. It was pointless, of course. Nothing could stop… this.

            Turning, he tried to ignore the longing within him, that deep longing. And with another deep inhalation he gathered together the pathetic vestiges of his energy and took to the air. 

            The lone Saiyan, last full-blood of his kind, slept on within the sand and shadows.

~*~

Goku watched. 

            The Supreme Kai shot to his feet, sable eyes narrowed and cold. With a look of utmost horror and disgust, he stood, Kabito on his feet as well; the pair brushed past entranced bystanders, movements clipped and cautious. Shin paused in the doorway, pale lilac hand resting gently upon the stone frame; he cast one glance back, one curious, almost sorrowful glance; then he shook his head, turned away, and disappeared into the darkness beyond. Kabito followed obediently, although he was forced to duck beneath the slightly short exit. 

            Eyes wide, Goku did the one thing he could think of: he panicked. Strangely, he resorted to a tactic he had noticed in Okiri only minutes before. 

"Shin, please, Shin…"

            Dead, dead, dead… He could just imagine them all, falling to the dust, armor, weapons deemed useless by ruthless blows… 

            "No! No, it's a lie! He doesn't _want_ to!" 

            They're going down. Down… Down… Blood… Dead…

            "_Please!_" 

            He could feel them dying. Dead. Dead. Another dead. Another, another…

~*~ 

            _Where the hell am I going now?_

_            The ship… Perhaps I can… This is all hopeless. No, it can't be, if I can just get away from…_

            The halfbreed gave a weak cry of torment as the pressure suddenly tripled; then the desert so far below was suddenly in his face, sending a shooting wave of unbearable pain ricocheting through each fiber of his body. Again, he cried out. Then he calmed, attempting to master himself once more. 

            There was no way he could get in the air again. 

            Slowly, he regained his breath, although it was still understandably uneven. Coughing in an attempt to jumpstart his system, he allowed his eyes to creep open again, although he dreaded to view the creature before him. 

            Cracked lips, streaked carmine with blood, parted; his voice conveyed his utter dismay perfectly. Dismay and disgust. 

            "Babidi."

~*~

It was as if his mind was on a loop: the images replaying, over and over, the last trace of hope abandoning him. Abandoning _Gohan_. 

            Shin stood. Shin walked out. 

            The Supreme Kai had abandoned him. 

            Breath rattled in and out of the Saiyan's throat, sweat pouring down his face. "Shin… Kai…" 

            Eyes still on the emptied doorway, he suddenly grew stiff. 

            He knew it. Somehow, he knew it. Every fighter had disappeared from the arena. 

            Slowly, numbly, blindly, he turned and faced the arena. 

            Gohan. Hair still its silky, spiky coal. Skin still porcelain. Features more and more mockingly similar to his own. 

            Hair… Darkened with a crimson substance. Skin… Splotched, splattered, stained with malicious ruby… His head was turned away as the small, almost harmless looking boy stood in the midst of so much blood. So much pain. 

And then, then that familiar voice spoke for the first time in what seemed like centuries, whispered into his ear in a hoarse tone… ((Dad will be mad…))

His head turned, flashed, blank, cold, onyx eyes suddenly on him. 

On him. Those voids. Burning with no emotion. Just two glittering stones tossed in a sea of blood. 

Goku screamed. 

He screamed, and he stepped back- forgot he was on a stairway, and tripped. Tripped, fell, still screaming, still numb, still horrified, still unable to breathe… Still… Still… 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Oooh ^^ The return of Babikini. Or rather, the reunion with Babikini. Funfun ahead! I hate the erratic spacing, I hate it, hate it, hate it! But I'll deal with it someday. *shakes fist* I'll beat you someday, spacing! 

            I couldn't find a decent title for this chapter, so I stuck to this one, "Guilty as Charged." Makes sense, doesn't it? Shin is pretty much judging whether Gohan is a murderer or not and, put bluntly, Gohan is guilty. 

            So… We're so close to the end of the dream! Next chapter, and then it's all back to the living world! Thank goodness. Yeesh. It was fun, but now it's getting boring ^^ I'll try to get chapter 19 up ASAP, Astrozazel is being wonderful and checking over an altered ending. If she doesn't like it, perhaps I will change it back to ending numero uno. Ah, the joys of editing…

            Lesse, next chapter:

_"…Coward… You… _**coward**_…" _

_Throat parched, he made the decision he had been dreading for 7 years. _

_"_You_ showed me this?" _

_            "You're smarter than you act." _

_             "…Dad?"_

_He did not make a sound. _

            Yay ^^ Wow, I got so many reviews this chapter! I was surprised ^^ You guys are awesome! I'm so, so, so so sorry that it's taken me so long to get this chapter out. On to the reviews!

            **CW- **_^^; Eheh.__ First review is a complaint. But yes, I know, it's wallowing, but I'm just slogging through information, then it's back to the normal mode. Chapter 20 is going to all be in the regular universe. Just bear with me for 2 more chapters! And no more memories past today, anyways. _

**Simba-rulz****- **_^^ Bahama vacation! Whee! I think everyone in this story could use a trip to the __Bahamas__ ^^; Babidi excluded, of course. Go Okie-chan! _

**Marshmellow**** Dragon- **_Mm. Marshmallows.__ Hehe ^^ Sorry the update took so long --; _

**TheShadowPanther****-**_I never saw your review ^^; If you did review. I'm sorry if you did, it must not've shown up._

_            Sorry, 6 more chapters to go in part _one_. There's still part two, which won't be that long, and part three, which also won't be that long (--; we hope), but together it'll be about the same length as part one. Believe me, we have a long, long ways to go. Let's hope I continue to have the motivation to write that far. Seems the DBZ fanworld is crumbling as is… ;_; _

_            ^^ Hehe! You don't even get to find out why Okiri and Juujuu exist until part three! And the curse isn't fully explained till the end of part two! *maniacal laughter* Let confusion abound!_

_            I updated Serendipity… (*cough* Even if that's the last update for awhile *hack, wheeze*) _

_            ^^ Updated! Even if it took me a month! _

**DBZ_Chick1- **_Now you're just adding words so you can say you said more than "update." ^^ Oh well, a review is a review. I like Okie-chan and Juujuu too, even if I put 'em through heck. Whee!_

**SnKagi****- **_Good, that's what I was aiming for ^^ Of course, I could never leave poor Juujen and Okiri in the position they're in right now, but we'll have to see just how (or if) that happy ending is going to come about, won't we? _

**Ligar**** Zero X- **_Yay__, originality is fun! Thankies for reading and reviewing ^^ I never have the initiative to review people. *sigh* All these nice people review for me, and I never do anything in return… Now I feel bad ^^; _

**Crystal Cat-chan- **_Yay__ ^^ Detailed reviews! *cheers* Go __Crystal__ cat-chan! Questions are so fun. ^^ I would _never_ sic Goku on my dear Okiri… *cough* Babidi, Babidi, Babidi… We get to see what he's doing next chapter ^^ Yay for next chapter!_

**Ooshii**** Kurai- **_Vegeta has been captured! G'job, I would've given up for sure. I'll stick to my Okie-chan and Juujuu, anyways ^^ They're so loyal! (hehe… we make _sure _of that…)_

_            Glad that fatal-part worked ^^; It sounded kinda weird when I started writing it but I guess it was alright in its complete form… *gasp* I still need to review that chapter for DTS, don't I? ;_; Nooo! I've got to remember to write it, darn it!_

**SynShenron****-**_Wow, another uber-detailed review.__ An Adrienne D in the making? ^^ Wow, you have _long _reviews. Don't see how you people do it, I never write long reviews… Not that I'll ever mind receiving them ^^ I was nearly jumping for joy when I got the alert for yours. _

_            For the sake of time, let's combine your reviews of 16 and 17. _

_            In actuality (I probably won't explain this later… I don't know ^^;), Bibidi's servant did _not_ kill Juujen. Bibidi was actually to blame- he used a quick technique to isolate Juujen, hiding him from Okiri. Of course, Okiri didn't recognize magic even within his own mind (having never come into direct contact with it), so he panicked and went into a rage, attacking the servant woman. The servant was stronger than he, though, and held her own easily. With only a very distracted half of himself fighting, Gohan obviously didn't last long- then the whole Piccolo thing, etc. ^^; I will explain what happened with the revival. _

_            I'm so sorry about the spacing, I am a total ditz with it, maybe it's my fault, but the formatting looks fine in Word but comes out screwy on FF.net. I save it as a web document, so it can't be that… I'll have to look closer next time, but it's very bizarre! Someday I'll figure it out ^^; _

_            On to review number two… Wow, I love reading the way you're looking at this story ^^ It's so fun! *studies for long moment* Alright, I see what you're saying. You're actually darn close. The curse _did_ suppress Juujen. But it didn't touch Okiri because Okiri hasn't given in to it, yet. The curse being used is not the same design as the Majin enslavement spell Babidi used on Vegeta, Spopovitch, etc.- it's actually quite different. Like I said, I'll completely explain the spell later. Bibidi's servant, the woman, just initiated the very first step of the curse. It kinda goes on from there. It'll be a long, long chapter the day I explain that… Eep o.o; _

_            Ah, on the chi/ki levels. There an interesting point arises. In the series, Goku says that "the living world just can't handle Super Saiyan 3." He says that after he returns to the Lookout, exhausted from the brief bout with Majin Buu in that state. There a debate arises for me: Should Goku be able to go there, even though he himself said that the living world can't handle it? He _does _use it later against Kid Buu, but that was in Otherworld, and he uses it in DBGT, but… --; Who counts DBGT? Anyhow. To answer your question. I was, originally, planning on Goku being at the level of Super Saiyan 3, and I plan to remain that way (even if he stays Super Saiyan 2) so yes, he is powerful enough to ascend past level 2. Gohan is at this level, also surpassing Goku, because he has understandably been through a lot harsher training. But he would not go Super Saiyan3 (at the moment) because Okiri has to be under Babidi's control for him to use that power. Since Babidi only controls Juujen, he can go to an amazingly high level, but never passes into Super Saiyan or beyond since it's only a human (with a bit of demi-Saiyan oomph behind it ^^;). When Gohan went Super Saiyan 2 in the ring, it was because Okiri was in control. Babidi had threatened him into the whole "show" at the tournament. If Babidi ever had Okiri in his control (*cough*) he could probably go Super Saiyan 2 with ease, and beyond. _

_            The level of Mystic… ^^ We'll find out about that later. I don't ever plan on Gohan going Super Saiyan 3, however. Of course… doesn't the change from Super Saiyan to Super Saiyan 2, Super Saiyan 2 to Super Saiyan 3, only take place because the body can't handle the energy flowing through it anymore and must change to accept it? Argh… There another argument arises. Here you can see the weakness of moi, I'm not completely decided on some of the details ^^; _

_            ^.~ I can't tell you about that, now can I? But to hint, I lean more to your preference. As much as I would love to give Gohan some victory… _

_            Geez, hitting on all the sensitive spots, aren't you? Urg, I need to straighten out Buu as well. His character isn't developed enough in my current future. I'll have to deal with it ^^; I promise to show more of him, however. I won't just have him disappear or anything. (Although I would be *amazed* if I found an actual plausible way to make Majin Buu simply "disappear…") Wooow! Thanks for the fantastic reviews! Really made me think! Thankies thankies thankies!_

**The Rose Sage- **_^^ Thank you! Hope this one was alright, too. _

**Lady Eldaelen- **_(o.o; Almost misspelled your name there) You write so well now, why dwell on the past? You surpass me either way. I hope _I_ write that well when I'm in college. _

_            ^^ I love stories that have that affect on me. Glad I spread it a lil bit. I simply hope it doesn't degrade after part one. I'm trying my best to keep it from dragging but, as with the dream, it tends to… well… drag. So, the struggle continues ^^; Yep, plenty of room left for fun surprises. I particularly like the end of part one. "Oh! We win! Oh… crap." _

**Hiaburi****- **_Oh, hi Dark One ^^ I liked your review a while back, definitely remember you. Hehe, I remember all of my reviewers! *starry-eyed* My wonderful reviewers! _

_            --; Focus! Ahem. Glad you liked these ^^ Hope it doesn't get bad or anything… _

^^ *refreshed* I so love my reviews. Wow, that SynShenron really got me goin', didn't he? I think I was talking in circles o.o Sorry if I confused you further, Syn. 

            I should change this from "Kokuhaku" to "Work In Progress" ^^; Egads. But now I'm in a euphoria from reviews! I feel like ranting ^^ *races off to Livejournal* If you really enjoy listening to my bland and utterly boring chatter, you guys can always check out my LJ, you know. If you even read the A/N --; There's a link for my LJ on my author page. 

            Well, I'm gonna get this posted (at 2 am on a Saturday night… No one'll notice it till next week, but oh well ^^; ) and then it's off to other fun things like sleep. Thank you all for reading! 

            Valete!  

            ****


	19. Abdicate

Hiya!

                And, again, I fall behind. *sigh* I'm so bad at constant updates lately. I think it's the lazy season or something ^^; This ending was really bothering me, though, and it's taken me forever to come to quips with the thing. I still don't like it all that much… Oh well, if I find a better way to do it, I'll repost! 

                Anyhow, here's the update, finally ^^; 190 reviews! Holy cow! That's a lotta reviews! Thank you guys soooo much ^^ You're the best!

                Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, Trapt, or Chief Joseph (even if he _is_ dead) 

Last time…

_The demi-Saiyan took a shuddering gasp, stared at his father one last time- he was so… so… Goku was the symbol of home. His father. How much he wanted just to…_

_"Shin, please, Shin…"_

_"Babidi."___

_Just two glittering stones tossed in a sea of blood._

_He screamed, and stepped back. Forgot he was on a stairway, and tripped. Tripped, fell, still screaming, still numb, still horrified, still unable to breathe… Still… Still…_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuhaku: Chapter 19

Abdicate 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"I thought it would be nice**

**To lie down and close my eyes**

**It never occurred to me**

**That I am already _asleep_…**

**_Don't be the one to_**

**_Don't be the one to let it go_****…"**

~"Enigma," Trapt 

**"I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever."**

~Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce 

                "Babidi." 

The wizard couldn't avoid a chagrined smile at his underling's current position. It was about as close to a bow as the boy had ever given him. Of course, after this… 

                Okiri was eyeing him frigidly, ragged breath stirring the grains of sand gently. With great trepidation he propped himself up with his arms. There he remained, quivering arms and shaky knees holding him steady, onyx eyes trained upon the desert floor. 

                For a moment he considered starting off with a taunting reply to the demi-Saiyan's rather pointedly obvious statement, but instead he began in a more… graceful manner. 

"There are differences between you and my father's creation." The toad's baggy clothing was buffeted about by the desert wind. 

                Okiri stared at the arid dirt which gave way to his curled fingers, drop after drop of blood-tinted sweat falling to the eternally thirsty earth. No circle of condensation was left behind- nothing but a small bit of red tint. He allowed his eyelids to drop. Upon hearing Babidi's voice, he collected his breath, replying in as cold a voice as possible, "Like what?" 

                A cruel thought voiced its opinions in the back of his mind. The demi-Saiyan shoved it back with an inward shudder. 

                Babidi chose his word simply, but it was enough to make Okiri's eyes snap open and his frame to become suddenly rigid. 

                "Ties." 

                The sound of shoes tapping against the parched soil rang through Saiyan hearing. Okiri's neck gave a crack of protest as his head snapped up.

                Majin Buu, in all his roly-poly glory, stared at his master with apparent confusion as he maintained a tight grip on the small boy clasped beneath one arm. "What going on? Why bad friend here? When we make candy?" 

                Giving a sigh of disgust, Babidi quickly waved his hands in the air to cease the creation's comments. "Enough! Can't you stay quiet for _one_ moment!?" Impatiently, he gestured towards the child in Buu's hold- the invisible web of sleep, a technique he had always prided himself with, lifted and scattered. Goten stirred. 

                Stirred, more like jerked awake and, realizing his position within seconds, proceeded in beating his rubbery holder with feet and fists. 

                Okiri stared at the dark-haired child, immobile, frozen in both mind and body. The scent of blood, sweat, and heated sand disappeared; the sound of Babidi's unbearable voice was gone; even the sensation of the sand between his fingers and the dull pain which thudded against his nerves was lost. 

                Son Goten, realizing that eyes were upon him, stilled from his constant punching and raised his head. Ebony orbs were caught in ebony orbs. For the first time, the Son brothers locked eyes. 

                After mere seconds which seemed to stretch for an eternity, Okiri reluctantly broke the stare, turning to Bibidi's son. "…Coward… You… **_coward_**…" 

                In the moment of conversation, Buu tired of holding Goku's son and quickly tied him up in rubbery wraps before tossing him to the ground. 

                "Juujen was smart enough to give in immediately. But _no_, Okiri just _had_ to resist to the very end, true to his Saiyan nature. Perhaps you need a demonstration…" With that, Babidi nodded to his father's creation.  

                Still thoroughly perplexed, Buu applied pressure to the child with his binds, placing Goten in a thoroughly uncomfortable position. Somehow, Goten felt that he needed to remain silent despite this; in stubborn Son fashion, he bit his lip, eyes narrowed as he did his best to ignore the increasing weight upon his small body. 

                "Stop it!" Okiri cried, jerking to his feet; he flinched as raw pain raced through his body at the motion. 

                Both Buu and Babidi ignored him; Okiri wavered on his feet, staring. Indecision reigned within his mind.  

                Adding fuel to the fire, Babidi slowly drawled, "You see, Okiri? I could kill your little brother with a snap of my fingers. Not to mention your father. And I won't stop there. Your mother… Bulma… Piccolo?"

                Okiri heard none of this. He merely stared at his struggling brother, the dark feeling of utter helplessness claiming his emotions. 

                Throat parched, he made the decision he had been dreading for 7 years. 

                After a minute or so of strained silence, he finally croaked, "If I do it… You won't hurt them…?" 

                "I'll only keep going." Babidi assured, pale eyes gleaming with anxiousness. 

                The demi-Saiyan's shoulders dropped in defeat. 

~*~

                His eyes were unfocused as he slammed into a nameless floor, not at all the sharp stone he was expecting to dig into his flesh. The nightmare world of drunken bystanders and cold metal had shattered and scattered to silky black. He now lay, dazed, raw scream dead in his throat, in a sea of obsidian. 

                The Saiyan staggered to his feet, stumbling back a few steps before regaining his balance. Mind beyond reasoning, he shouted, "Why am I seeing this!? I don't _want_ to know! I want to _fix_ it! I want to fight something _real!_ I don't _want_ to pass through everything, stand by while my son dies… I don't want to watch all of this… I just want to leave… And fight… _Fight something real_…" 

                Tired of struggling with his off-set sense of balance, he collapsed to his knees. Overcome with an onslaught of emotions that he could not identify, of pain and fear and who knows what else, he felt his fingernails bite into his palm and did something he could never recall doing. 

                One. Two. 

                Tears…

                The sight of those two small droplets of condensation brought him to his senses. He opened his eyes, staring at the small, glistening domes that had alit on his clenched fists. When was the last time he had cried? He couldn't remember. Perhaps a dream… But this was no dream. This was conscious crying. His brain had made the _decision _to cry. He hadn't cried, even as he watched his own son do so that day at the arena… It was so strange… Crying felt so…foreign.  

                Different.

                "Such a state. Vegeta would be disgusted." 

                Alert eyes snapped up to meet nothing. Just a voice in the nameless dark. But who? He could not place the slightly serious, slightly jovial tone of some strange male. 

                His voice was a bit more discordant than he would have liked. "Who…" 

                "No one of real importance to you, I suppose. But perhaps I should explain my actions anyways." 

                "Actions? _You_ showed me this?" 

                "You're smarter than you act." 

                Silence. 

                "I am no longer of your universe, so to speak. I am part of Majin Buu." 

                "A Majin?" Goku teetered to his feet, putting on his best imposing look. He felt slightly foolish, however, with tears still fresh on his cheeks. He hurriedly brushed them away. 

                "Not exactly, sir. I was absorbed by Majin Buu many, many centuries ago." 

                Goku blinked. Alright, someone who had been absorbed. Also, someone who had the power to show someone the past. Who could… 

Oh. Of course. "You're a Kai…" 

                "Right on! I am. The head honcho, actually. I was the last that Majin Buu absorbed. I hope that it remains that way." 

                "If you were absorbed, then…" 

                "My body was, but my soul is still free to roam. I decided to follow Bibidi's son, see what trouble he might stir. I was quite interested, watching that son of yours. I put all that occurred to memory- that was how you saw, Goku. I thought that at least someone should know what happened." 

                A taint of suspicion arose. "How do I know that you aren't Babidi…?" 

                "You don't." 

                "And you expect me to believe…"

                "You don't have to believe anything you just saw. I am simply here to tell you what _I_ saw. We all must decide for ourselves. There isn't always a clear-cut answer to every battle, Goku. There isn't always a good and evil, a black and white. Now you must look at each side and decide _who _to believe."

                Goku was speechless. Of course, the Kai was right. He had always expected a direct solution to everything. Fight the enemy and win!

                But this time… he didn't know who the enemy was, exactly. That scared him more than anything else. 

~*~

                Upon Babidi's orders, Buu grabbed hold of the defeated teenager as Okiri dropped to his knees. Goten, no longer pressed by the binds which encircled him, stared on in confusion. 

                Babidi grinned, anticipation at its peak. _7 years of work, coming true! I will surpass Father, and make my name made throughout both the world of the living and the dead! _

Quivering with excitement, he began the silent chant within his mind which his father had bestowed him with 7 years before. 

~*~

                "I cannot lead you anymore. However, it seems something important is taking place as we speak. Do you wish to see before you awaken?" 

                "What…? I suppose…"

                "Fine, then. I hope you make the correct decision, Son Goku. Whatever it may be. Farewell." 

                Still shocked, and still slightly numbed, Goku couldn't quite find the strength to reply. He simply stared off into the shadows, giving an elongated sigh. 

                A presence seemed to be lifted from the eternal darkness, and Goku was left to simmer with his own confused thoughts.

_I wish I could just _forget_ this, Supreme Kai. _

_                Even if it isn't important…_

_                I don't want to know anymore. I don't want to make this decision…  _

A light throb grew, right dead center on his temple. He scowled. _Just what I need, a headache… _

                 Only seconds after the Kai's aura had disappeared, the Saiyan was surprised to feel another at his back. 

                A familiar one. 

                Once more, that beloved link became clear in his mind, and slowly, ever so slowly, Goku turned to face the being behind him. 

~*~

                "Go-" Goten's cry was silenced as Buu's rubbery binds expanded, covering his mouth. Frustrated and mute, the chibi struggled against the pale substance. 

                He froze, however, as his brother's ki rocketed skywards in an invisible surge, nearly paralyzing his senses in its close proximity and unbelievable level. He found himself staring once more at the scene before him. 

                The most disturbing fact for Goten was not that the ki that had just nearly blinded him had suddenly dropped to the bare minimum of life. It was that, as his older brother's back arched and his mouth stretched open in a scream, silence was all that resounded through the desert.  

                Son Gohan did not make a sound. 

~*~

The Gohan which had stood before him in the tournament merely hours before now graced his vision, onyx eyes staring right through him. This did not bother Goku. He had grown used to it in his dream. 

                He found himself studying his older son; so used to the younger version, he had to readjust to the 18-year-old Gohan. The strangest part was, this Gohan looked slightly different from the Gohan he had fought earlier in the day. 

                The warrior he had fought before had, in an underlying way, reminded him of Chi-chi, if much more… frigid. However, when he stared at this Gohan, he actually found himself staring at… well… _himself_. Gohan's hair was spikier than before, his stance more commanding than its previous defensive appearance. 

                Suddenly, Gohan uttered one word- "Goten." 

At the same exact moment, Okiri's voice spoke that phrase with Goku's mind.  

                And then it clicked. He stared with complete surprise. This was _Okiri__. _He was actually _inside _Gohan's mind. This was what Okiri looked like, as a frame of Gohan's mind…

                Okiri suddenly lifted a hand, eyes shifting to the pale appendage. Those obsidian orbs did not hold a spark of life, dulled and clouded by a past of cold misfortune. 

                As Goku stared, something strange happened. 

                Something was changing… 

                It was nothing like the ripping sensation Goku had felt when Juujen had been destroyed by Babidi's curse; however, he had the gut feeling that this was quite similar. But it was slower, much slower. For some reason his mind demanded that there be a visual display of this feeling, this slow disappearance of a… something… from his memories. From his… From his soul… 

                "Is this… death?" Okiri spoke softly, sounding almost surprised. "It seems… slower… than when Juujen died…" 

                He looked up, through Goku, to the darkness beyond. "Can I rest now…?" 

                _He's giving up… Babidi's killing him. Babidi's killing him _now. 

_Gohan's actually leaving me… _"Okiri! Wait! You're all that's left! If you go, then…" Goku could not finish his own sentence. A pain wrenched at his stomach; Okiri had not heard him. 

The tingling was growing larger, into something more than a tingle- a sting, then a spark, then a full-blown shower of jolting pain- the Saiyan held a palm to his forehead, trying to still the growing headache. But it was more than a _headache_. His entire _body_ ached. 

                Okiri was still standing there, and yet, Goku could feel him less and less. As if he were unaffected, the half-Saiyan continued to speak. "I should have given this up a long time ago, probably the moment Juujen did. But I always was the stupid one, the one that makes that bad decisions and just muddles things up a bit. I'm just Gohan, after all. Just a half of Gohan. A half of…" His voice faded for a moment, then returned, sharp and resolute. "I'm a _bukatu__. _I deserve this…" 

                Still going… Teeth gritted in pain, the sable-haired man gave a low growl, fighting off the pressure pointlessly- still his temple throbbed and still his chest ached. But now flashes overtook his visions- flashes of the past. Of Gohan. And still he heard his son's eerily calm speech. It was almost a chuckle. "I hope Dad won't be mad."

                Gohan, young Gohan, sitting in the pine tree with him, watching the sunset… The older Gohan, tackling him to the ground as Cell disappeared… That same Gohan dead in his arms… 

                Gohan, crying, alone, in that hallway. 

                The window streaked with blood. 

                The shower of light and glass. 

                Babidi. 

                "_I hope Dad won't be mad_." 

                With a jerk he was at his senses, staring at the teenager before him, the teenager who mockingly looked through him and past him. His eyes bled warm tears as he cried out desperately, "O… Okiri… _No_. **_Gohan!_**_"_

_Stop, Okiri. Don't look through me anymore… Look into me. _See_ me. I won't make you hurt anyone anymore… _Still crying. A record. The great Goku, brought to tears twice in just one dream (dream? Was it really just a dream?). 

_Just please come back to me._

And still he ached. It was almost gone, that presence in the back of his mind- nearly spent… 

                A glimmer. 

                Recognition, hope, _life, _suddenly sparked within Okiri's eyes. He blinked with astonishment, and father and son studied each other. "…Dad?" 

                The demi-Saiyan lifted an arm, as if questing to see if the image was real-- a wind swept through the lifeless landscape. It was brisk, and frigidly cold- it bit straight to Goku's bone. 

                It tore through Okiri. 

                Without a sound, the teenager disappeared, scattering like dust into the bitter draft- then it was gone. Nothing left. Nothing… 

                Goku fell to his knees, head throbbed beneath his fingers. 

                He awoke to a mockingly bright afternoon sky.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finis Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                Now we all know why Babidi got Goten. I know, seems kinda repetitive (y'know, threatening with family members) but Okiri just needed physical proof before he would actually give in. 

                At first Babidi was worried about the Earthlings but, when he got there, he suddenly realized he could just slip past them. So, he ceased worrying over them and decided to toy with them instead. He also realized that Gohan was a lot more powerful than previously thought, so that simply cushioned his arrogance. Just to explain. Oh, yes, by the way- in the arena, Okiri was in control. That's why he could turn Super Saiyan 2, whereas if Juujen (or Babidi in other words) had been in control he would have been unable to reach Super Saiyan at all. 

                Next time… 

_                "You… You promised him! You stupid, ugly monster! Give him back! _I hate you!_" _

_"I don't see any need for Babidi to kill him," the deity commented coolly. _

_            "You don't seem to see a lot of things, Supreme Kai," Goku replied in a nearly identical tone. _

_"Goku, you _do_ know that you are getting into a fight with-" _

_            "Where's Goten?" _

                Yay! Next chapter is a lot of talking, but, it's gotta get done ^^; Trunks makes a comeback! Woot. And back to the Supreme Kai business. Fun. 

                Well… Lesse… Reviews! 

                **Simba-rulz****- **_*evil cackle* Now Okie-chan's really in trouble, ain't he? We'll just have to see what becomes of cursed half-souls… _

**Stanley T- **_Wow, that got me on a a rant. You'll just have to trust me on this. My system is not Freud's ^^; But, speaking in your terms, Gohan would normally be the "ego." He exists when Okiri and Juujen combine. At the moment, he doesn't exist, really, because Babidi's curse has literally torn his mind in half. Okiri and Juujen will be described later. I'll explain more -- in the story – as I come up with it. Sorry I can't give a 100% accurate answer right now. Like I said, work in progress. _

**Syn**** Shenron- **_I do see your point(s) about DBGT. Call me… untrue but I do like DBZ much more and to put it bluntly I simply don't like the characters in DBGT (Pan, insensitive Goku, etc.) enough to get into it. Yes, I know what happens. Yes, I've read summaries. I, however, have decided that I just enjoy DBZ much better and, since I do not know DBGT as well as DBZ, I do not consider it when making decisions. I can rant on about it forever, but I do not enjoy DBGT. I focus on DBZ for the characters (young Goten, Gohan, Goku). The TV show is simply a fun detail to study- I'm just in it for the characters!_

_                Past that…_

_                Yea, I did forget about Gotenks ^^; Point taken. I'm still slightly unsure but maybe Goku can go SSJ3. _

_                Ah! Glad it's not lagging for you. As for Kabito… Vegeta, Vegita. Goku, Gokou. I simply prefer "Kabito" to "Kibito." Kibito reminds me of Kibbles n' Bits… And close, but no cigar ^^ Juujuu wasn't doing the dream. _

_                Okiri's reaction to Babidi? Y'know, I don't think he had much of one. He knew that he was stronger than his family probably was and that if Babidi realized it he wouldn't worry about it at all. _

_                The beginning was moving too quickly? Sorry. Damn, I hate it when I move quickly, but I rarely notice/have the ability to slow down. I do need to work on my battle scenes, though. Practice a bit. _

_                Goku can (I think) go SSJ3 but the question is if he will… I think the story may curve from your line of thinking (well, I mean, I may not satify some of those requests). Although… *evil grin* I may be able to satisfy some of them. _

_                I think Babidi didn't realize the extent of Gohan's power when he got him. Thus, he continued to head for Buu. Now he's just piling up an arsenal of fighters, so to speak. He's never seen Kid Buu- Bibidi failed to mention, as well. So, at the moment, he doesn't even know Buu's full potential (although he's beginning to see Gohan's). _

_                Alright, sorry, stupid me, figures I'd contradict myself. Let me straighten that out. Bibidi isolated Juujen- that's what made Okiri panic. His servant, already told what to do, initiated the curse by stabbing Gohan. Babidi was waiting and then initiated his half, etc…. It's explained later, but that's the gist of it. Sorry for the confusion. _

_                o.O You nearly gave me a heart attack there. That could've been a major error on my part (one I was being cautious of making). But, if you look, I never said Gohan turned SSJ2, or SSJ. Okiri did, in the arena, because Babidi told him to. But when Gohan knocked out Vegeta and Goku (if that's what you're referring to), I never said he ascended. _

_                Yes, Piccolo is appealing, but I think Piccolo's fate is set. You just reminded me of him- I nearly forgot! Fixed ^^ You saved me from leaving out a major portion there. Thankies! Don't worry, Piccolo will help out, but I don't think I'll let him kill Babidi (^.~ Good suggestion, though). _

_                Yes, seems it's the slow update season (for me too…) _

_                Your rant was fantastic! I really enjoyed reading it. I may not exactly agree with you, but believe me, I was amazed by your devotion. DBGT is good, just not for me. Would write an Uub fic, but… ^^; Not my forte, Syn. I'll stick to my Gohan, Goten, and Goku. And another unbelievable review! Hope my response was adequate (and not confusing as hell). _

**DBZ Chick1- **_*ducks* Wah! Don't hit me! Sorry for the wait, I'm lazy. Don't worry- I won't change the name. I like KH too ^^ Good review!_

**Silver Warrior- **_Confusing?__ Seriously? My bad. Any way I can clear it up?_

**Ooshii**** Kurai- **_^^ Man, I hate sick-apathy. Feels awful. You're better now, right? I took 2 weeks to review DTS- I'd say we're about equal. _

**Shadowpanther****- **_Yes! I cannot *live* without my AAS review! _

_                DBZ fanworld is still here, but quality is declining and the fantastic authors that once graced FF.net have dwindled to a precious few *sigh* Motivation is definitely a problem. Too lazy to hire a muse! o.O You hear what the Greek muses did to foolish humans when they opposed them?_

_                Ok, here's the origin of Okiri and Juujen. *kiddy music plays* It starts when a man and a woman love each other very much…_

_                Okiri: o.O *covers Skadu's mouth* Let's stop it there, ne?_

_                Anyhow… Yes, part three, sorry ^^; It'll be up by next June if we're lucky. _

_                The curse… *lazily* maybe a few chapters before the origin one. *ducks to avoid any kamikaze muse attacks*_

_                Serendipity _will _be updated. _

_                …Someday. _

_                *ahem* 3 moths? ^^; Can we make it four? Maybe six and a half? _

_                *meekly* …A year or two?  *cringes*_

**Crystal Cat-chan- **_Ah, questions. I like questions. Juujen… We'll hafta see. I don't want to spoil anything ^^ It will all be revealed… I dunno, you'd think Okiri would be glad when he comes back. Must be lonely up there, in his own personal hell.. _

_Well, now you see Babidi's plans. But now the question is… does he have *further* plans? *evil grin*_

_                My reasoning behind Goten's sudden burst of "put me down" as soon as he wakes up is that he knows that Buu was beating up Vegeta and, after seeing Gohan, is suddenly curious as well as aware of the severity of the situation. But yes, Goten is so adorable ^^ My assumption is he's like Goku- he can tell when it's time to get serious. _

_                Shin can't tell what's going on. He assumes that Majin are only Majin when they have the 'M' on their forehead, unlike the case of Gohan (a different means of cursing). So he thinks Gohan is being evil on his own accord. Guess he should've done further research, huh?_

_                Thankies for the cool inquisitive review! I love questions! Yay!_

**Missgohan****- **_Sorry the switches confuse you, but there's honestly no better way I can think of doing it without totally killing the suspense. Each '~*~' means a switch of scene, though, okay? _

**Cat-Star 4- **_^^; Poor Babidi.__ Well, actually, who cares, feel free to shred him to teeny tiny gremlin pieces. I'm glad you like ^^ Hope you keep reading. _

**Kitkat****- **_I think a lot of people did that- read for a short time, then stopped. Glad you guys are comin' back for a second try! Wow ^^ That's a cool point you make. I hate to confuse people, but I'm glad you understand it now. Wow… Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Truthfully, I am so pleased that you reviewed. Exact kinda impetus I needed ^^ _

**Lady Eldaelen- **_Woohoo__! Gohan torture. ^^; I'm so bad… Yep, as long as it has a happy ending, it's worth it, right? _

_                Ha ^^ I hate it when I don't realize someone's updated for awhile. I just *have* to read any update the minute it shows up, though. I'm an insomniac on weekends : ) Sleep is never necessary when there's stories to be read! Mwaha! _

Woo! That took awhile ^^; Syn Shenron certainly pulls the longest responses from me…

                Wow, I gotta get this up and get rolling with my *real* Sunday jobs. Well, hope you all liked! Hope to be back with Chapter 20 soon!

                Valete! 


	20. Losses Accounted

Hi!

**Note: There may be several errors on here because of the QuickEdit thing. I did not know it existed and it appears to have deleted all asteriks and carrots, as well as the little wavy lines. --; This sucks. **

Long time no see! I know, I'm horrible, 2 months! Terribly sorry. I'm the worst author in the world.

But, I am kinda glad I held back this chapter, the writing I did on it today and lately made it ten times better. I had to split it in two, however. It was twenty pages long o.o; The next chapter should come relatively quick; I have it pretty much set up and waiting. I may have to do a few rewrites, but nothing major.

As you have probably noticed, my name has changed from shadow phoenix2 (accursed number!) to Skadu, due to frustration at the numbered-ness. Also, for anyone that is foolish enough to waste their time on Serendipity, it's going to be deleted sometime soon. I'll restart right before I delete it (so for five seconds, I'll have 3 stories! cheer) and begin where I left off, with the first chapter as a summary.

Uh… Yea. You guys probably don't care ; sheepish I just thought you'd like to know…

The spacing is still a bit edgy. I apologize ahead of time. I can't help it! ;;

_Eternal thanks to my beta, Kage Onna!_ She caught one of my repetitive errors this time! huggles Kage Onna and gives her box of inflatable cookies This would be a jumble of spelling errors without you, Kage

On to chapter 20!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Jacques the mannequin owes more than me --; He stole my pencil, by the way. grapples with Jacques for pencil

Last time (2 months ago --;)…

_ "…Coward… You… _**coward**_…"_

_ "If I do it… You won't hurt them…?"_

_ "Such a state. Vegeta would be disgusted."_

_ But this time… he didn't know who the enemy was, exactly. That scared him more than anything else._

He's giving up… Babidi's killing him. Babidi's killing him _now._

"…Dad?"

_ He awoke to a mockingly bright afternoon sky. _

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Kokuhaku: Chapter 20

Losses Accounted

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**"From a historical point of view, those who have lost what they are protecting, and further were betrayed by those they were protecting, are losers."**

_Treize Kushrenada, Gundam Wing_

Gohan stood on his own accord. The horror, near humanity, that had glimmered within his eyes before was gone. He was cold; colder than before, because now, there was no hope of any part of the old Gohan returning.

This lost hope impressed itself subconsciously upon Goten's young mind. He was still, however, muted; Buu's binds were yet to disappear.

Babidi gave a wide grin, surveying the "new" Gohan. With a cackle, he silently commanded the half-breed to raise his power.

_So there you are, my Gohan. You've been stripped of everything now… Now let's see how you fare with my father's curse working fully. _

Gohan's ki rocketed skywards, a gleaming beacon for even those on the Lookout to see. Wizard, chibi, and creation alike were buffeted by the summoned wind, and yet Gohan was barely deterred.

And Gohan was still in a weakened condition.

"Perfect! Wonderful! This is _just_ as I imagined!" Babidi cried, clasping his hands together. A slight voice in the back of his mind- one he usually ignored, but now embraced- echoed his cry of ecstasy. This was more than expected.

_ I thought I was going to have to rely on Father's creation. I can already feel my control on him slipping… But no, this boy is just the same! Why, with him so pliable to my will, Buu wouldn't think twice about going against me…He's stupid enough to play follow the leader, anyways. _

_ This power I feel within his mind… it is amazing! _

_ If just one half-Saiyan is like this, what would it be like to have them all? His father, his brother… Oh…_ The stunted creature gave a malicious sneer. He could still taste the terror, the misery of Okiri upon the roof of his mouth. To see the innocent Goten- the righteous Goku- in the same condition… He could grow fond of this curse, difficult and time-consuming as it may be.

_ Breaking innocent minds is so much more fulfilling than reining in Father's silly, childish creation…!_

_ Ah. Back to the matter at hand. _

He turned to Buu, still dancing with delight. "Let the boy go!"

Completely perplexed, Bibidi's creation obeyed merely for the sake of obeying. Taken aback, Goten clambered to his feet.

Gohan lowered his energy once more, expression blank. Still savoring his new slave, the wizard twisted upon the young child, voice a sinister jeer. "Now fly. Fly away, and eventually, I'll find you, and I'll laugh as dear old brother destroys you with his own two hands."

Son Goten merely stared with incomprehension for a moment. But the abrupt reminder of the short instant between himself and his brother minutes before- that look of regret that had been in his sibling's eyes- caused him to realize what the wizard was actually saying. "You… You promised him! You said you wouldn't hurt us!" The alarm, the stunned distress that infiltrated his voice was not in fear of his own demise- it was for the certain demise of the person everyone he had ever known had recognized as his brother. The death of Gohan.

"I promised nothing. Now go, before I change my mind," the withered alien snarled.

"You… You…!" Goten was lost for words, totally unaware of his precarious position. All he could see was that look upon his brother's face, and all he could hear was Okiri's short plead for his family's wellbeing.

Overcome with rage, he raced forward, slamming a foot into Babidi's shin; the wizard's eyes widened in agony as he staggered away, squalling obscenities. Buu then chose to intervene, catching the boy by the arms. His tone was inquisitive. "You hurt wizard?"

Gohan stood by, looking on dourly, whilst Babidi persisted in hopping like a mad man. "My leg! You broke my _leg!_ Stupid brat!"

The young boy was not about to surrender -- not before putting his two cents in with Buu as well. He jerked from the creation's hold and whirled upon him, merely furthering the childish being's puzzlement. "And _you!_ You stupid monster! You killed Vegeta! I _hate_ you! I hate all of you! Give me my brother back!" The chibi was in tears now, tossing a weak blow at the pink blob. "You stupid, ugly monster! Give him back! _I hate you!_"

For once, it was not curiosity or malice that lit Buu's features- it was hurt. "Me…. Oo-gly? And stupid?"

"Stupid, _stupid_ halfbreed!" Babidi cursed, quickly putting the young demi-Saiyan to sleep. Bibidi's son did not notice the more than negligible portion of magical energy which vanished with this action.

Goku's elder son had not moved throughout the entire exchange.

Buu, still quite bewildered, shifted his concentration to his master. "Why he hate me?"

"Because he's a foolish boy, and he's upset that he lost." Babidi snapped petulantly. When the creature opened his mouth for another inquiry, he continued, "No more questions! Now pick up the brat and _move!_"

He turned toward the callous teenager. "Gohan, come on, we have work to do." The obviously fractured bone within his leg grated- he gritted his teeth at the rush of pain it caused, giving a whimper.

Containing his personal agony, he chose to levitate towards the sable-haired teenager he now claimed as subordinate. Gohan's lackadaisical, unfeeling gaze mechanically leveled upon him. But then a brief grimace, and the teenager fell to one knee, evidently fatigued from previous wounds and the recent show of power. Babidi almost panicked, thinking, someway or another, the rebellious halves of the boy's personality had returned- a quick probing of the Earthling's completely vacant mind provided no evidence of this, and he calmed. The only registers of thought were merely instinctual, some minute readings of injuries sustained, some blaring warnings of a dangerously low energy supply.

To the wizard's surprise, Buu was at the boy's side, hands extended; a pale glow, nearly identical to the one which had swathed Dabura and altered him to a snack, cloaked the warrior. Babidi, still observing the half-Saiyan's nearly primitive mind, felt panic- and then the soothing calm induced by healing- surge through nerves. Then a relaxing power…

The Earthling stood, fully mended and returned to a pristine condition. Only the soil and blood caked upon his skin, along with the wear-and-tear of his gi, displayed signs of the day's brutal events. Babidi imagined, if it weren't for his removal of all shows of emotion, the brat would've thanked the monster profusely- or seemed disappointed, death thwarted once more.

It was curious, the streak of suicidal instinct that he had observed within the child over the years. A last ditch method, apparently… The selflessness of Goku's son almost disgusted him at times. Was it selflessness? Always glancing at the pessimistic side of things, his mind quickly responded, _Selflessness? He was afraid… He wanted to escape _us_._

His leg twinged.

"Buu!" He almost felt angry- who at? The creature for not telling him, or his own father for not telling him? No matter, he was just… angry. This _thing _was his underling and he hadn't even known of his healing ability. "Why didn't you-! Here, help me too!"

Is it correct for a master to ask his slave for help?

He ignored that little thought.

Buu seemed to consider a retort for a moment- or, Babidi mused, considered a snack- when he finally extended his hands and healed his master in the same style as he had his fellow servant.

Flexing the suddenly tingling, comfortable flesh of his repaired leg, Babidi grinned. With Buu's invincibility and healing, combined with Gohan's almost uncanny battle sense, ability, and lineage, this team was promising more and more with each passing moment- even if it was an enormous tax on his reserves of magic.

But previous contemplations returned, concerns over the growing tiredness in his arms, an obvious sign of a depletion in the unnatural amount of life force – a thing he manipulated as magic, while Gohan manipulated it as ki, and Buu used it for both – deferred once more. _Work! Work, work to do…_

_ Work, yes, much work.…_ He levitated a few feet, fingers grasping the coarse ivory material that made up his underling's gi; he recalled how, once, he had ridden on the boy's back before, when they had been forced to land a good distance from their destination on a particularly strict moon. With only Juujen under his control, the boy had shuddered violently, and Dabura mentioned later that his ki had been wavering the entire time. Babidi himself noted the constant up and down movements of the less-than-comfortable flight. Now, the boy at least three years older, he felt no variations in the energy of his servant, saw no shifts of emotion within the mind of his peon; he couldn't ask for more.

_ Work… I will gain my power back. Then all the Saiyans will be mine. _

_ Pity I killed off Vegeta so quickly. I could just barely tell where evil once lay in him. People rarely forget… Maybe with a bit more pushing, I could've converted him the good old way. The black-hearted are so much easier to control, even if the innocent ones scream so much better. _

_ The child will be a nice addition, I think. _

The wizard had already forgotten his partner for so many centuries- the demon king Dabura- but an odd quote, spoken in the fiend's signature scratchy voice, suddenly echoed through his mind. It had been spoken as he had observed the brief bout between Vegeta and Pui Pui, intrigued by the composed power of the Earthlings…

"Do not let your greed overcome you, master. These are not to be messed with. You are gambling with each Saiyan you seize… If you continue to play, you are bound to lose."

Only snatches of this phrase were repeated now within the zealous creature's mind. Even as he heard them, spoken in the drawl of his (until recently) most devoted underling, he failed to recall the crimson-skinned denizen of Hell. And for moments afterward, even as he felt the thrill of leaving the accursed wasteland far below, he mutely fought to remember just who had said this to him.

Buu blinked as his colleague and master departed. Something told him he should follow- the tug of his master, no doubt. But he lingered, gaze falling to the young Earthling who lay still in the dust; his chubby face displayed obvious perplexity as a yellow-gloved hand hovered over his upper chest. "Me no like being hated."

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It was as if his mind had crashed. His breath came in short gasps, chest having forgotten its regular patterns; his body seemed to be unable to respond to the discomfort of rocks jutting into his skin or kinks from his obviously prolonged sleep. Senses were kicking in sluggishly, resembling a computer overloaded by too many programs at once- one by one, vital systems kicking in, breathe, taste, touch, hear.

Taste- blood. Old blood. Bitter pain. Touch the sand, the jagged rocks. Hear… silence.

See… Gohan…

"Ngh!"

He remembered – the dream, Gohan, disappearing, giving up, despair and – emotions that had prevailed and encompassed his being during that nightmare now reawakened, invigorated by the materialistic world. His stomach knotted. His throat constricted. With a gasp he jumpstarted his lungs and tried to drag himself up from a maelstrom of lust for something he had not felt for a long time, not since the end of the Games, standing on the Lookout and…

Revenge.

Had he never felt this before?

Often. Often. It was a wonder Nimbus held his weight, a malevolent thought perused the edges of his mind – if he leapt on that golden cloud right now, would he find himself rejected, back on the sharp and cold earth?

All the beauty, all the love had fallen away.

_No- _**no**_, must wake up, must get back, get back on my feet and help…_

The tempest of sentiments vanished. In his furious attempt at clearing his head, he had lunged to his feet; now he remained there, languidly rocking back and forth as his legs salvaged their dazed feeling.

_Ok._ He took a deep breath. _Ok, must access the situation, see what's happened._ The light-headedness was vanquished, body regaining its usual purpose. One thing had not returned- the buoyant expression he had worn when he had closed the oaken door of his modest home behind him that morning, an amused Goten at his side.

_Goten. _

_ Goten… _

I can't sense Goten.

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"Buu! What took you so long?" Babidi barked over the bellow of the wind, twisting his jagged-nailed fingers deeper into his mount's shirt.

The creation was actually quiet, something that had not occurred for the entirety of his sojourn on Earth thus far. Babidi should have been concerned; he was not. He instead queried, "Gohan- look. Where is your father? Where are your other friends?" A sneer brought deep wrinkles into his yellow-green features; he knew all too well "friends" was a loose term for the situation.

Uncaring or oblivious to the dark humor of his master's words, the half-breed took a brief pause- his eyes followed invisible targets, far in the distance. Then, with a clipped tone, he muttered, "I cannot feel Piccolo or Krillin, or the child Trunks. My mother, Yamcha, and Bulma are heading northeast, towards… Dende. My father is flying east."

"Well, seems they're all too chicken to come near us. Kind of depressing, really." The wizard gave a cackle. "What will the look on Goku's face be when he realizes I have both of his sons? Oh, how I would pay to see that!"

Moment of mirth expired, he composed himself. "Alright, back to the spaceship we go. With any luck those morons have managed to keep themselves composed for once…"

_ Goku, Goten, Gohan. The trio of nescience. I can't wait until they're all mine…! And when this is all over with…_

_ Gohan will be more than anyone ever imagined. _

_ Father, I'll show you what a _real_ wizard is! _

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_I can't feel… Any of them… _

"No!"

His ki was beneath him and he was above the rocky outcroppings long before he realized it; eyes and mind scouring the landscape, he averted dropping out to the dark feelings he had been experiencing seconds before. Still, his lungs contracted. _No, no, no… Calm… Look… You'll find them…_

More deep breaths. Something Chi-chi had told him about once.

_Calm…_ He swept the planet's surface, and soon he understood.

_Vegeta... I can't sense you at all… You left to fight Buu. Are you dead? Please tell me it isn't so… And Piccolo, Trunks… _Goten.

Out of the blue, his senses faintly picked up the familiar, if faint, trace of his oldest rival. Relieved, he dropped to the ground at that point.

Piccolo, Krillin, and Trunks lay in the sand before him, asleep. He gave a sigh of relief- then took it back.

**_Goten…!_**

****

****"Piccolo!" Goku cried, rousing the Namekian.

Earth's former guardian jerked sluggishly, noting the Saiyan immediately and rising to his feet. "Goku…" He paused, emerald brow furrowed in thought. His eyes widened in realization. "Babidi! He put us to sleep."

Seemingly oblivious to this information, the sable-haired man pressed with his predominant thought. "Where's Vegeta? Goten?"

"Vegeta…? Vegeta's dead. Goten… isn't here?" Krillin answered before the former Kami could; he had apparently been roused by their conversation.

Their silence unsettled him.

Uneasy, he began to realize… "No. He couldn't be…" The human narrowed his eyes. "Babidi, that bastard. He wouldn't kill a child… would he?"

Piccolo's eyes fell to the ground. The resident hero of Earth narrowed his eyes, focusing on some indiscernible point far in the distance.

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"Dende!"

"Miss… Bulma?" The rich-skinned boy stood in surprise at the woman's emergence; he had been resting, heart heavy, upon the cool marble steps as he mentally viewed the nightmarish occurrences on Earth's surface.

The daughter of Hercule, the bandit Yamcha, the wife of Goku, Goten's grandfather, and a grave Master Roshi had appeared behind the renowned genius of Capsule Corporations. Those without the aptitude to sense ki had varying looks of stern annoyance, blatant confusion, and strained hope; those with it merely looked grim. Even the jovial Yamcha and good-humored Roshi looked to the tile, stance controlled and bitter.

Bulma's eyes remained upon the guardian. "Are you going to tell us what's going-"

Before she could finish, a gust of slightly chilled wind nearly bowled over the newly-arrived humans; Chi-chi suddenly perked up, expression bordering on hysterical. "Goku!"

The man she beseeched did not glance up; he disappeared without a word, leaving behind a scowling Piccolo and a rather shocked looking Krillin, weighted down by a limp Trunks.

All other thoughts were vanquished from Bulma's mind. She rushed to her son.

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"Shouldn't they be back already?" The cerulean-scaled creature drawled, placing down a rectangular-shaped card.

His opponent replied with a similar card, face down against the pile that already resided there. "I dunno. They were fightin' in the upper decks a while ago."

"I hear Master put out the half-breed," Sab grinned darkly at these words. He picked over his cards methodically.

Chuckling, the umber-skinned Ludlu grumbled, "I hope that uppity Earthling got a good beating. Hear PuiPui's dead. We could only be so lucky if they got rid of Babidi's pet, too…"

Sab had selected his cards. He slapped them down, beaming. "Only two card left, _retuiken!_"

"Retuiken my... BS!" (1)

"See for yourself!" The scaled alien's Cheshire grin threatened to snap his face in two as he overturned the perfect Ace of Spades beneath. Below that resided the King of Hearts that Ludlu himself had positioned.

Grumbling stormily, he gathered the pile into his right hand. "I don't get these human games."

"Stop whining, you big baby… Uh, hey, what does the flashing red light mean?"

"Unh? Red light? That one means Yakkon's out."

Both stopped dead, cards fluttering like broken birds from their fingers. "**_Yakkon's out!?_**" (2)

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He had felt the energy on pure luck. He preferred to dub it bad luck.

His sable eyes fell with disdain upon the obviously soundly-beaten Kai, skin battered and clothes tattered by a large ki attack. The bane of Goku's existence was curled into a wretched ball, completely comatose.

And a profound fury rose within him- this being had declared his son evil. This being did not believe in Gohan like he did. He had left him to rot at Babidi's hands, a criminal, a disgusting creature not to be pitied but to be detested – and tried to get them, Gohan's only hope, to believe the same.

_ Should I bring him to Dende?_

_ …Should I just walk away?_

And with that, Goku nearly retched- how could he _think_ like that? He had been thinking like the old Vegeta would. Like the Demon King, or even Cell would. He had thought about killing someone.

Killing someone out of anger.

_Face it, Kakkarot, you're no longer anything resembling human- you're a Saiyan, through and through. That petty cloud couldn't hold your finger. _

Muscles taut with regret and guilt, Goku secured a hold on the lilac-skinned alien's wrist. It crackled beneath his grip – obviously broken – he felt no remorse and even gave it an extra twist.

Bile tainting his taste buds, the Saiyan spat in disgust before focusing his mind on Dende's lookout.

-------------------------------

"Sir? Are you alright?" Dende inquired worriedly, standing back.

Shin shakily rose to his feet, trying his best not to admire the Namekian's handiwork; had to maintain a business-like appearance, after all. Instead, he nodded curtly. "Yes. Thank you."

Many eyes were drawn in intrigue to the stoic warrior whom stood fast within the center of the Lookout, yet to speak a word even though he had remained stationary for several minutes. Bulma, Chi-chi, Krillin stared with growing interest (and uncertainty) as the friend they had always considered the loudest and most naïve man alive glanced over them all with a queer light within his eyes. It was something they had never seen before, because it had always been carefully masked… or ignored. And it, to put it bluntly, threw them out slightly.

Goku did not notice that everyone from the resident genius of Earth to the Supreme Kai himself was staring him down with morbid curiosity. He was actually staring down everyone else, and somehow managing to be oblivious to their returning gaze.

_ Did I ever notice them? Why does it always take a near-death experience, a brush with some unnatural fiend before I notice changes?_

_ I killed Gohan before I realized he was just a kid. I let him fall to a plot that would destroy him before I realized I loved him. _

_ I lost Goten before I realized I had been ignoring him, just like Gohan, but worse- I never knew what or who Goten was. _

_ All I knew was my own regret. _

_ I'm such a fool. _

_ I'm more of a murderer than Cell or Babidi ever will be. _

"Goku?"

Snapping out of his daze, the Saiyan suddenly felt the prick of each pair of eyes upon him. He looked to the woman who had addressed him: Bulma. The short-haired woman had a deep frown etched across her face. Voice still as haughty and headstrong as ever, she continued, "Goku, you had _better_ tell us what the heck is going on. Yamcha here's too much of a sissy to fess up."

_ Damn, do I have to do this now?_

_ This is nothing, though… Someone's got to tell them… _

_ Might as well be dear old insensitive Goku. _

"It's nothing the dragonballs can't fix."

_Way to go, moron. _

He fell out of his thought-provoking daze and focused fully on the conversation of his friends. His mouth still tasted bitter- he did not attempt to rid himself of it.

Yamcha spoke first, emphasizing his speech with a heavy sigh. "So Vegeta's really dead?"

The blue-haired woman froze, scowl melting into complete shock. Her whisper was barely heard. "…What?"

"Get it over with, Goku," Piccolo snapped, his usual irate demeanor shining through.

Clearing his throat, the Saiyan scowled, putting on his best 'game' face. He felt the eyes of his loved ones, waiting with bated breath for something they already knew. "Vegeta… is dead. Trunks is fine, he's asleep. I don't…" He closed his eyes, trying to think out his words well. And predicting, perhaps, the dreaded response of his friends and family. "I don't know where Goten is. He might be dead."

He had expected the most extreme response from Chi-chi; after all, she was the melodramatic one. Perhaps a fainting spell, or a scream. But strangely, Chi-chi made not a sound; she simply stared forward, eyes unfocused. In complete shock. Bulma seemed to be the only one to fully understand what had just been stated to the gathering. And with that, she screamed, a short cry of pained sorrow; hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she dropped to her knees. Her somewhat helpless ex-boyfriend placed comforting hands upon the woman's shoulders. Goku could not avoid the shock which etched his face. Bulma was not generally the one to get so expressive.

_Is that something else I never would've known, until now?_

Videl, surprisingly, took it with more stride than her older friend. She turned to Goku, sapphire eyes wide, questioning. "They killed… a seven-year-old boy?"

Words formulated and spilled from his mouth before he even considered. As usual, he answered honestly, openly. White lies were not part of his vocabulary- he spent too much time masking his own emotion. "I don't know. I can't sense him anymore. All I know is that Babidi had him and I can't feel his life energy anywhere."

The teenager sighed morosely, eyes dropping to the alabaster tile. "I can't believe… that anyone could do such a thing…"

"Don't worry, Videl," Krillin offered. He was irked slightly by the fact that he had to glance up to meet the face of a girl decades his minor. "We can bring him back, if he really is dead. It's no big deal."

"No big deal… No big deal!?"

All eyes were drawn to the wife of Son Goku in melancholic interest. At this, the woman leveled her voice, an uncommon show of control before her friends. It didn't last long. "That was my _son_. I don't care if we bring him back, seven-year-olds aren't supposed to _die_. They aren't supposed to be _murdered!_" Ox King's heavy hands weighed upon his daughter's shoulders in precaution. Chi-chi was undeterred. "I'll kill whoever did this _myself!_ And Goku! Who the hell was that boy in the arena?"

Slightly taken aback at having the blind rage unleashed upon himself, Goku took a moment to respond. When he did, he fumbled for words. "…We don't know. He's…"

"Not anyone you know," Shin interjected coldly, striding forward and giving the taller Saiyan a warning glance. Goku matched his stare, engaging in a full-out staring contest, a silent gauging of each others' willpower.

"It wasn't Gohan?" The sable-haired woman interrupted, studying her husband for any semblance of an answer.

Both Kai and earthling moved to respond at once; thus, both speakers' words were cancelled out. Glaring at each other once more, Shin beat his supposed ally to the punch. "It _wasn't_ your son."

A slap sliced through the abruptly thin air; the Supreme Kai's hand moved upwards to assist a stinging cheek. Chi-chi's glare was more than fierce as she curtly barked, "Did I ask you?" When the Kai's mouth opened, she quickly added, "That was a rhetorical question." Then her gaze was on her husband once more. "Goku?"

"I'm not sure, Chi-chi. I… I really don't know yet."

At the hurt expression which had flickered upon her husband's face, Chi-chi was suddenly reminded of just who she was dealing with. She knew, if anything, Goku was not infallible. She had learned that often over the past seven years. Warily, cautiously, she took a step forward, soothing hand outstretched.

He turned away.

At this, both parties involved winced, each feeling an equally hurtful sting. Goku, however, could not remain still; he strode towards the palace of Earth's god.

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Finis

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(1) Yes, they are playing BS. Dunno if any of you all know it. The players place cards down face-first, in numerical order (ace 2 3 4 5 6 7 and so on). If the other player(s) think they didn't put down the right card (the object is to get rid of as many cards as possible, and it goes in turn- if you don't have the card for your turn you have to pick up the pile) then they say 'BS.' (Baloney sandwich in elementary school ; Cow dung after). If they're right and the player lied, then the offending player takes the pile. If they were wrong, _they _have to pick up the pile. Anyways, it's a card game. Very fun, I found. Hey, who says Babidi's underlings couldn't pick up some habits while hanging out on Earth? They've been there for years, after all…

(2) Remember Yakkon? The energy-eating monster that Goku fought in the series? He attacked Gohan on an earlier incident in this story (unwritten here, though I believe he referred to it earlier). Anyhow, he obviously isn't very loyal in that he eats Babidi's men unflinchingly. No doubt the soldiers would be terrified of him…

So! Was it as horrible as last chapter? I hope not, because I hated last chapter. shudder I will repost that someday. As soon as I have a new idea for it, anyways. o.o Darn it! I swear I rewrote part of ch. 19 a while ago… But I can't find it now! sobs The snippits I can recall were really good! slams head against desk Ok, well, I had an opportunity to improve but I apparently lost it. Very sorry.

Next time…

_"You don't seem to see a lot of things, Supreme Kai."_

_"Goku, you _do_ know that you are getting into a fight with-" _

_"If he's such a good guy than why isn't Goten here!?"_

_"_**I'll kill him!**_" _

_"He's taken my _life,_ Piccolo. He's taken my sons. I won't let this go any farther."_

So, Goku, you think I'm just going to stand by like always?

Complications are so fun.

This chapter was written (well, edited) to Apartment 26. All hail. They rock.

If any of you were wondering the purpose of the brief interjection with Babidi's men, it was really just to show that they are slightly (ok, largely) moronic and aren't keeping the ship together very well. Besides, showing their jealousy towards Gohan and hatred of the putrid Pui Pui.

- -; Goku's change… Geez. This could get messy, ne? The innocent one is losing his innocence. Not a good thing at all. Perhaps Hell is freezing over. (BR/N: Lol, no kidding! ) With any luck, Chapter 21 will be up this weekend or next week. Sadly these are both all conversation, no action. But it's coming! Chapter 22 should be the beginning of the climax. I think.

Okie dokies, on to reviews…

**Hiaburi- **_You know what? I really didn't like the ending either. We agree. That's a good sign. Sorry for the wait… again. _

**Simba-rulz- **_o.o That's a lot of no's. I'm sorry. Okie-chan's not dead. He's on vacation. In the Bahamas. cough _

_ Ok, so it seems there are no Bahamas in the DB world._

_ He's in the… um… Papaya islands --; _

**Ooshii Kurai- **_I had an idea for the ending, darn it, but I lost it! slams head on desk I thought I lost this chapter, too, but I found it. Yay! It was sitting on my desktop. In plain view. Eheh. _

_ Hey, you killed Gohan in Still Here! And… crap… um… --; I forgot the name. Ah! The one with Mirai, and the soap, and… uhm… feels stupid Well, I've killed him off twice. And I brought him back here. Evil, I am. _

_ Yes, Gohan, you might want to rethink that. _

_ Okiri: --; At least Ooshii gives them free will! STUPID MAJIN! gets dragged away by Babikini _

_ This was from before Spring Break?_

_ …I am behind. _

_ Thankies for a cool-and-awesome review! --hands Ooshii plastic cookie-- Sorry, Okie-chan ate the real ones. _

** DBZ Chick1- **_Yay! Made up! happiness Gohan's not like dead, he's still breathing after all. Now is he a living vegetable, um… ; You'll find out. Yay! You didn't say it! --hands banana, since we're out of cookies--_

**Syn Shenron-** _o.o; Another long review? You've got a lot to say, definitely. _

_ Your version of 'insensitive' and my version of 'insensitive' are two different things. I have watched the show a bit more and I still am not pleased with the characterization of Goten, Gohan, and Goku. Sorry, I'll just leave it at that; DBGT is something people have to decide for themselves. As Astrozazel said: "I would like to comment on Syn Shenron's response. Please kindly inform him/her that DBGT is an acquired taste, and that some simply haven't "acquired" it yet." It took me six years to see the decency in DBZ; it's gonna be awhile before I so much as consider DBGT. _

_ Sorry the Buu fights were rushed, but I didn't want to focus for fear of lagging and losing the overall plot in the fights. There wasn't much to say, anyways; it followed the series pretty closely, and it made no sense to repeat myself. Hopefully it won't go too fast now, though it's going to speed up action-wise (we hope --;) _

_ Okiri's been going strong since he was 13, I think he did darn good lasting as long as he did and watching what he did; even if he is the Saiyan half, he isn't ruthless and feeling helpless is definitely something Saiyans and humans alike don't like to feel. Besides, his home has rubbed off on him; he hates killing as much as the next person. _

_ Best one yet? Definitely not what I thought! Wow. I thought the ending was horrible… Still, glad someone disagrees with me. Thanks ; _

_ Oh, thanks for catching that! I'll fix it along with everything else. See, I realized after I posted this chapter that I hadn't done the final edit and some corrections (such as the one you saw) were yet to be made. Again, as soon as the ending is fixed somehow, I will replace Chapter 19 and fix it._

_ Gracias for the fantastic review! You never cease to amaze me. You're really devoted! Something to be admired, for sure. _

_ Yep, Majin Gohan is ready to roll (though, you'll find out, Babidi isn't finished yet). A Goku-Gohan match up would be highly interesting, ne? _

**Gohanzgirl- **_Short and sweet. I like! Sorry for the ridiculously long wait… --helps back to feet-- _

**Astrozazel- **_Ah, as always, the deft and to-the-point reviewer. Not like I'm complaining. Yay for Astrozazel!_

_ Quotes and scene… Well, the quotes, I admit need work. And I think I did replace them (or did I? scratches head) on the file and will upload the replacement with all the other fixings. Um, scene, run into a problem…I have no clue how I could match that to Abdicate. Cruddums. ponders long and hard_

_ Conclusion, yes, I need help --; It's not my choice but I can't think of how to fix it! All suggestions are welcome ; _

_ Of course, I spend forever ranting and you sum it up in 2 sentences. Comment forwarded --; sends envious look_

_ Woo! Thankies much! --gives inflatable cookie-- Getting more creative here, obviously. _

**Crystal Cat-chan- **_Questions are good Give my silly mind something to focus on. Videl hath reappeared; they went to Roshi's, remember? But yea, Gohan needs a vacation. And a psychologist for that split-personality thing. _

_ Questions... _

_ Okiri has been banished to about the same area as Juujen. They are still inside Gohan's body… That'll be explained a ways from now, but put bluntly, they're being suppressed and they are in about the same place. _

_ The Great Supreme Kai (or whatever his title is --;) is most snugly fit into the annoyingly neutral slot. He's just trying to guide Goku on the right path, whatever that may be. _

_ Videl went to Roshi's! --; Now she's on Kami's. I didn't forget! _

_ Everyone else was with Videl. _

_ As you saw this chapter, Goten isn't trying to be Buu's friend. He's kind of like Goku, at the moment- giving in to a side of his personality he doesn't usually see. He's less then pleased about what Buu and Babidi have done. _

_ This is a second part of the curse, actually the same step (I think there's four steps- he's completed two, now). Two to go! Poor Gohan ;; _

_ Yay! I knew the answers! --Feels special-- _

** Shukumei no Kagi- **_Woah, very nice name. applauds I love that name! Woah. _

_ Tears? Holy cow! Wouldn't expect that extreme of a reaction! I'm so glad you were affected that way. _

_ I wonder if it'll get worse for the good guys, though? I can't really decide… Hmm… _

_ I can't have a totally unhappy ending. Notice the totally. Eheh. ; _

**Shadowpanther- **_Mwahahaha! I changed my name, too. No longer have the cursed number. --throws confetti-- My 200th reviewer!_

_ You get…_

_ -picks confetti off floor- CONFETTI! -throws confetti again-_

_ We don't get much funding here, as you can tell. _

_ I've heard a lot of that "Okiri noooo" stuff lately. Ain't he popular Go Okie-chan!_

_ I swear we had a nickname for Pui Pui. I forgot it, though. Crud. Maybe we didn't. stupid (____I spelled stupid wrong there, for a minute --;)_

_ Review monger. Yeesh. _

_ 200 reviews, 200 reviews… -dances- _

Woah o.O

**_ 200 reviews!_**

****

**_ Exactly 200! _**

****

**_ Yay!_**

200 reviews for 20 chapters Totally awesome. Let's see if we can hit 300 by 30 (if it goes that far o.o;)! But seriously, I love each and every one of these reviews. It really means something to see that someone besides myself gives a hoot about where this story goes Thank you guys, I wish I could say a ton more but I'm a sucky thanking person so… thank you. Gracias. I am forever in your debt- you guys are what have kept me writing (and thusly kept my mind occupied). Thank you thank you thank you!

21 should be coming soon. The one-year anniversary is coming up! And my birthday went by last week So now, hopefully, my writing will mature, right?

Not so sure about that. Oh well.

While I can still claim I'm marked by the immaturity of a fourteen-year-old, thanks for reading! Hey, does anyone know that fifteen is a really cool age? It even sounds cool. Fifteen. Fifteen. I feel old cheeriness

Well, off to cart my old self to Chapter 21.

Valete!__

P.S. Oh my god! This is gay! This Quickedit thing stinks! It's deleted all my asteriks and carrots. How gay how gay how gay! I just spent 20 minutes correcting and replacing everything it removed and it just returned back to normal!

I am so pissed right now. I would have had this up 20 minutes ago. Now I have to go back through and replace the markers for spacing between perspective changes. THIS SUCKS! Sorry for the mistakes, guys. I did not expect this.

I also fixed the spacing. It turned back.

hallelujah At least the ------------------------------- bars work.


	21. Paternal Instincts

Hello! 

Long time no see. So sorry for the prolonged absence, summer has got me braindead it seems… And this last week has been particularly busy. I already have 3 chapters piled up for editing… And all these stories begging to be updated (all 3 of them... Ah!). This chapter in particular was being a _brat_ to write for the duration of the summer.

Hopefully when I get back into school the beginning of next month it'll be enough of a kick in the rear to get me to start updating regularly again (ha, like that would ever happen). If not, I've still got a few weeks left of free time, so maybe that'll be enough. Besides, it was this chapter that was keeping me back for the most part. With this posted, it's one huge weight off my shoulders. The rest should be a relative _breeze_.

Anyway! I'll jump right in, I've certainly delayed enough as is.

(By the way, thanks to my beta, Kage Onna; these chapters haven't been edited yet by her, but as soon as they are they will be replaced. with the fixed version if there are things to be fixed.)

Disclaimer: I do not own.

Last time…

_Revenge.___

_Had he never felt this before?_

_Often. Often. It was a wonder Nimbus held his weight, a malevolent thought perused the edges of his mind – if he leapt on that golden cloud right now, would he find himself rejected, back on the sharp and cold earth?_

_All the beauty, all the love had fallen away._

Goten…

_I can't sense Goten._

Goku, Goten, Gohan. The trio of nescience. I can't wait until they're all mine…! And when this is all over with…

Gohan will be more than anyone ever imagined.

Father, I'll show you what a _real_ wizard is!

_"Unh?__ Red light? That one means Yakkon's out."___

_Both stopped dead, cards fluttering like broken birds from their fingers. _"**Yakkon's**** out!?**"

_And with that, Goku nearly retched- how could he think like that? He had been thinking like the old Vegeta would. Like the Demon King, or even Cell would. He had thought about killing someone._

_Killing someone out of anger._

* * *

__

Kokuhaku: Chapter 21

Paternal Instincts

* * *

**"Forgive me father, why should you bother now?**

**Forgive me father, why should you bother now?**

**Forgive me father, why should you bother**

**Try honesty, try honestly…"**

**_-"Try Honesty," Billy Talent _**

**__**

**"Never forget what a man says to you when he is angry." **

**_-Henry Ward Beecher_****__**

He had retreated to the shelter of the dwelling's chilled shadows, finding a place along the marble wall and simply leaning against it. Not daring to fall to the floor – he highly doubted he would be able to force himself upright again – the Saiyan settled for pressing his hands against an already throbbing forehead. The headache which had begun with his awakening had not abated, but seemed to grow in leaps and bounds within the semidarkness. He took it without complaint, the thudding pressure within his temples; anything to push back those memories which lurked at the back of his conscious. A second confrontation with those tormenting visions would certainly be his last, and he was darkly assured by this point that the day would end with someone else dead. Who it would be, he did not know. He would feel no remorse if it was himself who perished on the battlefield.

A shadow, more solid than the umbra wrapped about his own shoulders, had been standing nearby for several minutes. He finally addressed it with an unexpected aloofness. "Did you try to reach him?"

There was a long bout of silence; Goku nearly read it as Piccolo shifted through the stages, from _What__ is he talking about?_ to _Oh that_ to _What shall I say in response?,_ perhaps a little _How does he remember that?_

After emulating the Namekian's upcoming response a few more seconds, Goku continued, "I didn't forget what you said that day. You said you weren't bluffing, on the Lookout… And I never doubted that you were. Did you reach him or not? I know you tried, as soon as you found out who it was."

"It didn't work," he at last answered with gruff irritation. "I couldn't feel a thing. The Gohan I knew is dead."

_You think that'll make it easier to kill him, Piccolo?_

Goku remained silent.

The Namekian was reminded of some old Earth phrase – 'a shadow of his former self' – as he looked at the mute Saiyan, but, like his one-time-rival, he did not speak any further.

Some might have thought the sight peculiar. A tall, emerald-skinned demon, once nearly insane with the drive to murder one man and one man alone, leaning placidly against a sun-warmed wall. Waiting in silence for any speech, any in particular, from the man nearby… The man so famous for his naïve disposition, his ability to cheer and warm the darkest of minds. But he was wrapped in shadow, features set into a steely glare. The angel of shadow, the demon of light. Two aliens who had, at one point, sworn to destroy one another, sat in nearly amicable quiet.

Some, perhaps those who had seen the ferocious battle between the Demon King incarnate and a much younger Goku, would have thought the scene downright absurd.

Shin, oblivious to the pair's rather violent history, did not recognize the irrationality of their positions. The Goku he knew, and the Piccolo he knew, were far different from the ones that had faced off one foreboding spring day on Papaya Island. He did not stop to ponder their positions, but simply broke into speech without a second thought.

"We need to decide what to do next."

Goku glanced up listlessly, appearing abruptly drained. The Supreme Kai was not startled. He expected it had been a long day for him already… And it was far from over.

Piccolo was the one to respond. "We'll decide what to do when we have regained our wits, Supreme Kai." He laid piercing charcoal eyes upon him. "Some of us are not so immortal as others."

"I am aware of this fact," he replied composedly. "But at the moment, Babidi is not heading for his ship as I previously suspected. He is heading away from it, and I think he is heading for one of your cities. Each moment we spend _'regaining our wits'_ is a moment in which Majin Buu will draw closer to the innocents of this planet."

"Do you care about them, though?"

Shin was surprised by Goku's quiet intrusion – and even more surprised when he comprehended it. After a second of stunned deliberation, he spoke with slow calculation. "It is my duty to ensure that no innocents are harmed…"

"Cell harmed innocents," the Saiyan interjected smoothly. "He could've easily gone past our world once he'd destroyed it, and then he'd destroy the next and the next. Freeza destroyed hundreds of planets. Why didn't you do anything about that?"

"That was a matter for the North Kai to handle," Shin retorted stolidly.

"Why isn't this? Why did you have to come here? Why-" Goku curtailed his own statement, looking rather dazed by the words that had issued from his mouth. His mind finished the last inquiry. _Why'd this have to happen here?_

Dawning realization made it clear to the Supreme Kai that these questions were rhetorical, not requiring of an answer, even if his mind was already tossing up perfectly legitimate responses. Goku, who had turned to face him in his sudden burst of loquacious behavior, withdrew into the gloom once more.

"I'm here because the creature you have barely given a passing glance thus far is capable of things _far beyond_ the minor plagues that this planet has experienced. Majin Buu could destroy you, Son Goku, and your home with a flick of his wrist. He has destroyed Supreme Kai with ease. And you, like it or not, will have to face him. You are greatly underestimating this creature, and you will regret it when you come to realize this fact."

His voice was as soft as the darkness upon his shoulders. "I can sense what he's capable of. I am not a fool."

"You are our last, Goku. The child Trunks cannot fight; nor can Piccolo. You are the last of the defenders. But I do not doubt that, if you were to face the enemy once more, you would perform in the exact same way you did this morning. And when you freeze, there will be no one to save you… And Majin Buu will crush you into the dust."

Goku stared at him blankly.

Scowling in deep frustration, he pushed on. "You _are_ going to have to face him, Goku, and whether you are merely pushed to the side or put up a fight is your choice. Eventually they will come here, and your sons will not be the only ones lost to you if you do not stop him."

At these words – ones Shin had expected to strike a nerve, any nerve – he did gain a reaction. Whether it was what he expected or not, he gained it.

With cool disconnection, Goku's eyes seared with a calmly feral emerald, hair raising into a sun-bleached gold. The shadows that had shrouded him were now shredded by the golden vigor of an Ascended Super Saiyan.

A few of the occupants of the broad terrace glanced up, stirring about apprehensively.

"This is what you were looking for, right? I'm supposed to be the last hope. But what would you do if I were to face Babidi and lose, even if I were to put up my best fight? _What would you do if he defeated me._"

Shin's voice was harshly insipid. "You fear that he will take you as he has taken your son."

The glimmering aura terminated, leaving a tired, shadowed Earthling once more. "No. I fear that I will be the one to win."

Piccolo was watching his ally with stark astonishment. _You think that Babidi can claim you? _

_What has happened to you, Son…? _

* * *

"Buu!" Babidi cried as a sheet of liquid glass poured over him once more. Soaked to the skin, yet progressively drying with the constant cloak of wind upon him, he gave no notice of his resemblance to a mother scolding her child. "Stop that!" 

Also drenched but much more pleased by it, Buu leveled his flight beside the relatively insane wizard. Goten, remarkably, still slept within his arms, despite the fact that he had been dropped twice in the creature's tomfoolery – not to mention saturated with salty brine like the rest.

The wizard was lucky in this respect, he supposed; he had no desire to waste more time or energy upon the child than he had to for the time being. Already, Buu had caused delay after delay – what should have been a five minute flight had stretched, and stretched, and stretched. Now he suspected they were only a few miles out over a stretch of sea that surely lasted miles more. They would not reach their destination for awhile, if the half-breed's memory was accurate.

It was worth the wait… Though he could only take so much from his father's creation.

For the sixth time, he attempted to talk sensibly with the pink monstrosity. "We've got one little spot to visit, then we're going to head for the cities - you can have your fun there, Buu. For now..." Buu was beginning to dip once more; he could see from the corner of his eye. "_Don't you dare!_"

Chastised, the childish creature pulled up with a pouting countenance.

"Oh, grow up..," the toad grumbled.

He did not notice as his mount, soundless and impassive as ever, quirked his head slightly to the side. Charcoal eyes sought some unseen point to the northwest. Then they were forward once more, awaiting the emergence of the sand-lined shoreline.

* * *

A foreboding clicking sound was echoing down the metallic hallway. The grunts, shouts, and screams had ceased, leaving only the clunk… clunk… clunk… of something huge, something terrifying, coming their way. 

Sweaty hands shaking with a rather evenhanded combination of dread and adrenaline, Sab pulled his ki-gun closer to his chest. It would probably do no good; though it was a very powerful gun, a reworking of one of the Cold empire's later models, he doubted it would be enough to destroy the hulking horror. (1) After all, the creature fed on ki; it did not seem very wise to give it _more_ fuel.

Ludlu, trembling at his side, wasn't really helping matters.

"D-did you know… Yakkon almost killed that half-breed. D-did you know that? Nearly t-took his head off! One s-swipe of the claws… And that was a S-_saiyan_…"

_Clunk… Clunk… Clunk… _

Sab grinned wolfishly. "One swipe, huh? You better tell your gods to make a place for you then, my friend."

**_Clunk… Clunk… Clunk… _**

"M-maybe there's some way we can…"

Yakkon gave a shuddering bellow.

Ludlu gave a girlish squeal.

* * *

Shin had not spoken for a long length of time. He merely stood, onyx eyes considering the Saiyan coolly. 

When he finally did speak, it was in the softest of tones. "I have given thought to your belief that Jairai is your real son. I asked Babidi where he had gotten him – and he said that it was a gift of his father's."

"That's impossible," Piccolo murmured. "You said you killed Babidi's father."

"He's in Hell."

Kami and Kai glanced towards the Saiyan. Undaunted, Goku continued, "Gohan was in Hell when he disappeared – the realm of Infinite Losers, the lower level. What's to say Bibidi didn't pay him a visit?"

Neither noticed the sudden paleness of Piccolo's visage; looking slightly overcome, he held a hand to his face... When he pulled it away, some semblance of his usual stoic expression returned. __

Shin was speaking, pulling the former guardian from his daze of revelation. "It's impossible for a mortal – wizard or not – to traverse _death_. Only the dragonballs of the Namekian creation have the power to do that, and they only due to the phenomenal will of the dragons. Death is not something so easily left behind…"

"They created life, however," Piccolo interjected. "They created Majin Buu. Who is to say they cannot create life again? They simply create the body and pull the soul to it."

"If that were possible I would know of it," Shin snapped heatedly.

Goku was not abashed by this ferocity. Without delay he quipped, coldly, "You don't seem to know a lot of things, Supreme Kai."

Glowering in vexation, the lilac-skinned god apparently realized this quarrel was fruitless and strode away.

Piccolo would've been surprised by Goku's blatant disregard of Shin's status as a divinity, but his mind was on other things and besides, status didn't quite seem to matter anymore.

Determined to not become mired in the confusion of the day's events, Piccolo turned to Goku, the source of so many questions – he stared back calmly, eerily vacant of any strong emotion.

"What happened to you?"

He attempted to look taken aback, but Piccolo easily saw through the farce. "To me?"

"You've changed."

"I have?"

"What changed you, Goku? I did not see what happened between the times that I was petrified and then revived. Try as I might, I cannot understand _why you have changed so much_."

"I haven't changed at all, Piccolo. I think you're..."

Piccolo punched him.

It wasn't as if it hurt that much – not even emotionally was he affected, if not a tad astonished by the sudden violent gesture – but his mind seemed to empty all the same. Some deep rage, one he never acknowledged nor touched, surged for a brief moment.

"You think it was **_easy?_** To have another person's life upon my shoulders, as if the last seven years haven't been enough! **_I had to watch it all!_** _And even now it is replaying before my very eyes._" He inhaled a shuddering breath, and dull scarlet resentment was pushed back down once more. "Leave me alone, Piccolo."

"Whatever it is that has happened," Piccolo said, "It seems to be destroying you faster than Majin Buu ever could." Appearing slightly estranged, the Namekian walked away.

Goku was feeling unexpectedly livid. The rest that the shade of the palace had promised obviously didn't exist; perhaps somewhere inside he could find that broken promise, concealed somewhere else within Kami's abode. The words of both Shin and Piccolo were reverberating within his mind, and the bitter taste of that foreign rage was tingling on the back of his tongue. At this rate, Piccolo was correct… He felt that he would simply fall apart at the seams if that wrath chose to return.

He had forgotten the headache… Now it returned, as he made his way to the palace's entrance. The sun's rays had gotten bright and cruelly shone against the ivory; blinking at the glare, he held up a hand in protection. The chill shadows provided by the entrance's awning fell across his eyelids…

"Where's Goten?"

Goku sighed in exasperation, not noticing that his previous emotions had blissfully fled in the wake of a grand new problem.

Irritated at his lack of response, the son of Vegeta repeated vigorously, "Where's Goten?"

"He's not here," he answered tiredly.

Though the child had just woken up, he was certainly up to interrogation – his scowl increased at his elder's pretty deficient retort. "Where is he, then? I can't sense him. I tried. Is he sleeping? Dad says you can't sense someone when they're sleeping. He was with me when…" Mind apparently slowing down to actually consider what was issuing from his mouth, he stalled for a moment, then spoke more cautiously. "…Dad's sleeping too, right? He was fighting that weird pink thing when…" The boy's face contorted in uncertainty. "What happened to my dad, Mr. Son?"

"Trunks…" Wasn't one telling enough? He had broken it to everyone else… Couldn't some helpful stranger appear from nowhere and tell him his father was dead?

No helpful stranger was appearing.

Trunks was staring at him, azure eyes marked with confusion.

"Vegeta's dead."

Words spoken, Goku felt the urge to take a step back, expecting the token Saiyan rage or perhaps blatant denial.

Trunks went for neither. Almost unaffected – Goku could barely pick up a sudden glistening wetness at the corners of the young boy's eyes – the prince continued his interrogation. "Where is Goten? We were going to fight that creature. We were gonna beat him… We _are_ gonna beat him." A lone timorous drop, silvery and trembling, made a slow trace down the half-breed's cheek.

Some would have wilted at the sight. Having already seen much in that day alone, and shed tears on his own, the elder found he was fairly unscathed. Still, this was Goten's best friend; his throat constricted a bit for the next reciprocation. "We don't know."

Without a word, now sporting twin trails down his face, the child began walking down the sun-bleached steps.

His hand had found a grip on the child's wrist before he even registered the decision; Trunks glanced up with wolfish ire building within his eyes. He felt his throat loosen once more. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Goten!"

"You aren't going anywhere."

Trunks pulled back with all his might, but not a finger budged upon his tiny forearm.

Eyes fulsome with resolute authority, Goku repeated, "You aren't going anywhere. If your father didn't stand a chance, how do you expect to? You are not going to go out there and die at the hands of Majin Buu."

"Why are you here!? You're supposed to go save Goten, too! If you won't save him than _I will!"_

"I don't know where he is, Trunks. When we find him, we'll save him, but right now we can't do anything. Your death would not make matters any better."

"You can't save him! That's why you're here," the child cried.

His fingers slackened. "What?"

"You're afraid of Goten's older brother. You let him kill all those people! I'm not afraid of him. He let my dad die." With a slightly insane gleam in his eye, Trunks suddenly became years older than he should have been. "_I'll kill him_."

"Gohan isn't a bad person…" Goku's voice was stunned, lost, barely a viable reply; his fingers slipped numbly off the boy's wrist.

"He let my dad die."

"He couldn't stop it."

"He let him die!"

"Gohan can't…"

"_If Gohan's such a good guy than why isn't Goten here!?_"

Before the distracted adult could regain his senses, the demi-Saiyan turned on his heel and took to the air in a broad, high arc, heading for the edge at a rapid pace – then, freedom so close, hands were around his midsection and Goku brought them both crashing to the marble floor. Carried by the forces of momentum, they skidded rapidly across the polished surface before coming to an abrupt stop in one of Mr. Popo's carefully tended flower beds; Trunks was first to halt within the rich black mulch, and he did not waste time in jerking to the level of Super Saiyan and taking a leaping tackle upon Son Goku.

Videl had received quite an eye-opener when Trunks had roared from the front entrance, soon to be intercepted by the age-advantaged Goku. As soon as a hapless bed of flowers had halted their brief slide, a relatively crude wrestling match began; the usual grace and ritual of the Z fighters' style had been abandoned for headlocks, kneeing, and an abundance of foul play.

"What's going on?" Chi-chi queried, appearing at the sable-haired girl's elbow. Bulma had soon appeared as well, eyes slightly red from past tears; the trio of females watched with varying degrees of perplexity as the wrestling match continued.

Krillin and Yamcha soon joined them; it seemed that, one by one, everyone was walking over. The former monk, if surprised, did not show it. "Bets on Goku."

"Well of course, Krillen… Trunks is smaller, and weaker." Yamcha agreed good-naturedly.

Goku's mate sent the two a disapproving look. "I don't want to know who _wins_, I want to know _why_."

"Should someone break it up?" Videl inquired meekly, glancing from face to face among the growing crowd.

Piccolo's gruff voice was the one to answer. "No."

Their discussion ceased.

The Namekian did not remain unspoken within his mind; he watched the brawl intently, and felt a pang of sorrow as he came to realize what was taking place.

Trunks was not fighting his best friend's father.

Goku was not fighting his dead rival's son.

_They aren't fighting each other…_

_They are fighting themselves. _

Interlocked in their brutal exchange of kicks and dodges, punches and blocks, neither opponents noticed the spectators or Piccolo's conclusion; they were so focused on their rather impromptu battle that the material world had melted away. It was a dance of assault and parry and whoever won would be the one with the final say- but neither realized that, either way, a decision would be met. Whether that decision would be good or bad was a matter of opinion for the time being.

The Lookout continued to dance lazily within their vision for a moment after the clash's abrupt halt; Goku stopped dead, face a sinister grimace, a trickle of blood escaping his nose. Trunks lay beneath him, arms pinned immobile to the glistening stone.

Impassive to his inevitable victory, Goku stared with intent severity at the young chibi. "_You are not going anywhere._"

Apparently the child hadn't quite grasped that the fight was over yet; the older Saiyan winced as a well-placed kick landed full force upon his stomach. "Trunks, stop it!"

A slightly weaker strike to his side elicited only a flinch, but a harsher tone within his voice. "_Stop it!_"

And the chibi obeyed.

Astonished, Goku pulled back, resting upon his feet. Trunks was on his feet in a millisecond; the adult tensed, expecting another irksome new fracas, but the boy did not attempt to flee or attack him. Instead he stood with fists clenched, eyes burning; his Super Saiyan state had fled, leaving him with lavender strands to pour freely across his face. He did not speak.

The Saiyan considered for a moment… Then slowly, he began, "Look, Trunks…"

As if set off by his empathetically-spoken words, the child's eyes locked with his. The sapphire was lost within deep rage - his lavender hair rose and spiked threateningly, though still not bleached its goldenrod tint.

His voice was shrill, uneven, as he shouted, "Dad's _gone_ now. He's dead because of _Gohan!_ Gohan killed him! _I hate him!_ I refuse to let Goten die!" Trunks was shaking now. "**_I'll kill him!_**"

"Trunks, please. You've got to understand." Goku struggled to keep his voice even as well. "Even _I _can't beat Babidi's… followers… So how could you? I can't let you go out there and _die,_ Trunks. I'm going to find Goten. I promise."

"I'll help," Trunks growled.

"You _are_ going to help, by staying here. Protect your mother, and I'll take care of the rest, alright?"

The chibi opened his mouth to contest further… but thought better of it and turned away instead.

It seemed it was over. Breathing a sigh of relief, Goku got to his feet, though something was slowly numbing his heart from the inside out. The endless play of that other life – the one he had dreamt of – was slowing down, threatening to halt for the first time since it had took place in his mind's eye.

That brief fight had ended it for him, the ponderous parade around his mind of _it's true, it isn't, it's true, it isn't_. A child's chant, waiting for the petals of the flower to end, for the verdict to be determined by Mother Nature herself.

An eight-year-old child had driven home the point Shin had struggled so hard to make.

_Gohan does not exist._

The endless play had stopped. Numb tendrils were reaching across his mind and…

_It's decided. _

A bloom of white fire scorched the air about him, and the fabric of his shoes rustled as his feet shoved off from the tile roughly; his body was moving automatically, mind elsewhere, seeking to grasp some sane thread and make it his focus. Ki-reading. Buu. In the distance. And at that monster's side… Up, over, down, Lookout gone from beneath him and a cover of clouds all between him and…

A hand was on his wrist.

Without meaning to, he gave a deep growl, livid eyes snapping up to meet his opponent; his alabaster aura expired gracelessly as Piccolo matched his feral response with a flash of sharp canines. "You think you can get out of this that easily?"

His voice was low. Treacherous. "Let me go, Piccolo."

"Tell me what happened." His grip tightened, not painful but a signal of stubborn refusal none-the-less.

Like a young child, mockingly similar to Trunks moments before, Goku yanked back, attempting to free his hand. He wasn't trying; it didn't work. The Namekian pulled forth an expression of immense ferocity that had not been seen since the Budokai which had ended with his defeat. "_Tell me._"

This time, it did work, as he did try. Allowing his freed hand to drift to his side as his shoulders grew tense, the Saiyan returned Piccolo's fang-baring snarl.

Cape rustling in the breeze, the emerald-skinned Earthling observed his only previous adversary with bitter detail. Goku's eyes were narrowed, teeth bared in a full out snarl- a rage of which he had never imagined or seen, not even on the arena floor, was simmering within those jet eyes and it almost frightened him. The closed expression within them. He was so used to seeing through them- into anger, or pugnacity, or elation- but they were now closed. Closed but for pure rage. Cold rage. A rage that was so… _wrong_ for the person Goku had always been considered.

The orange-and-blue cloth of his generic gi - marred by dust and rips - was the only thing that dared to move, pulling against taunt skin and rigid muscles. His legs were slightly splayed, arms vaguely apart from his sides and fists so tight that veins stood out with clarity. And finally, he spoke- his voice was hoarse, yet level, filled with the resentment seven years of unspoken sorrow had brought. "You want to know?"

His control dropped, muscles quivering now, the luminescence within his eyes tripling and doubling like an out-of-control wildfire. His voice reached a shout, coarse, pained and infuriated at the same time.

"You want to know what happened!?" Goku fumed, eyes searing even in their seemingly impenetrably onyx state. "_You want to know!?_ I _saw_ him, alright? I _saw_ him, I saw him _cry_, and I saw him _suffer_, and I saw him… saw him scream, and I saw him…" He ceased. He took a deep breath. Still, the man glowered, a dark fire incinerating all other emotion.

"He's taken my _life_, Piccolo. He's taken my sons. I won't let this go any farther."

Goku relaxed slightly. He looked almost astonished at himself- the Namekian admitted inwardly that he, himself, was astonished. How had this happened? How had Goku the innocent, _Goku,_ that total _moron_ that he despised so much- become a resentful, wrath-filled… Saiyan?

Unable to see the shock within the former Kami's eyes, the last pure-blood descendant of the great Saiyans twisted his body and took flight, mockingly ivory aura tearing through the silver-lanced cloudbank before the hovering moisture closed behind him. Piccolo did not say a word. He returned to the top of the Lookout.

_My student's a monster, my rival's an out-of-control superpower, and Goten's dead. _

_What happened to all the innocents? All the innocence…_

Sweet calm resounded for the briefest moment. Apparently the others had retreated after Trunks and Goku's outburst, oblivious to the furious eruption that had just taken place. It was all fine and good to him. Calm… That was what he needed. To think. Eyes closed, he stood stock still, gathering thoughts and then… Then a curt voice which many had grown to despise within the day's events chose to interrupt. "Piccolo."

His eyes shot open. Although he disagreed slightly, he knew Goku's reasons all too well for his hatred of the being before him. Slight distaste leaked into his voice. "Supreme Kai."

Shin gestured in the direction that Goku had taken. "He is going to find his son?"

For a moment Kami's voice was in his mind- 'This is the supreme being of the universe. Answer his question and wait for the next. Look to the floor, do not interrupt, do not speak unless asked-' -and then he shoved it to the back and allowed his own speech to formulate.

His tone was cautious- caveat. "Great Elder, I realize your position as the highest being within the universe, but perhaps you should realize something about Earth. Here, the Kami isn't the strongest." The Namekian raised his eyes from the floor, instead studying the Kai's facial features for any shift of emotion. "I'd suggest that you refrain from irritating the Saiyans any more than you already have. Goku's killed a Kai before and I doubt he'd hold back from doing it again." Piccolo almost grimaced at the heave of nausea which Kami chose to induce.

A cry of '_IDIOT!_' resounded through his mind, clear and true.

'Shut up- my body, my choices.' The former demon shot back, accompanied by a wash of dark annoyance. He was wary not to mentally concede the fact that he had just lied patently.

The Supreme Kai seemed unperturbed, to Piccolo's eye. For a second, he thought he had seen through his threat. But it seemed he had succeeded- Shin nodded, turning away. "I had heard of the North Kai's early demise. Yes… I suppose so…"

And, for a moment, he agreed with Kami.

_I can't believe I just threatened the Supreme Ruler of the Universe. _

A droplet of sweat ran down the back of his neck.

_Dende__, I think the entire universe is going insane. _

* * *

Ludlu had never been the best of runners - sprinting was his strong point, not long, drawn out marathons through the twisting but well-known corridors of his master's spaceship. But Sab had said run and darn it… When faced down with a creature that had just consumed every other person on the ship, he took his friend's advice. 

Now just what the hell Sab had had in mind when those words had issued from his mouth, Ludlu did not know. It had come to the point that he did not question his old friend's motives or plans.

He wished Sab had stalled Yakkon more.

The voracious monstrosity in question gave a quelling scream, nearly blowing his ear drums with the close proximity.

After his initial reaction of freezing in place with a feminine screech dying on his lips, Sab had shoved him forward, instructing him to run for his mother's sake and run fast… When a claw scythed scant inches from his bony forehead, he suddenly realized that he could run a hell of a lot faster than he previously believed.

Still, these adrenaline-fueled strides would not last much longer.

And when he stopped, a certain alien with a slight affection for Earthling card games would become a very nice meal for a not-so-nice Majin.

A cramp exploded with vicious ferocity across his left side; eyes bulging in panic, Ludlu gave a hoarse wheeze as he struggled to inhale a thick gulp of oxygen, hoping it would nullify the burning pain. It didn't work. '_Hold your hands over your head.'_ He had heard that somewhere, perhaps from his old P.E. days, and he did it now, legs not pausing in their blur of motion.

Yakkon gave a grunt of confusion at this strange sight- a brown-skinned alien, panting heavily, with arms flung wildly over his head and gun long-since abandoned in his fleeing path.

This one seemed to have gone insane; Yakkon almost considered passing him over, but he was still hungry and the other one was far gone. Perhaps insanity would add a zesty flavor.

Apparently the hands-over-the-head thing held no truth; all Ludlu gained was aching arms. But he had to keep going and maybe the cramp didn't hurt so much? He could barely tell. Yakkon seemed to be getting closer…

The hallway floor lunged up to deliver a stinging slap to his nose; arms still upright in their ridiculous pose, he groaned in pain before mewling in horror; Yakkon was on him, was going to eat him, swallow him whole or perhaps tear him apart piece by piece, off with his head first like he had tried to get the half-breed…

A metallic click resonated through the hallway.

Yakkon's growls ceased.

Bewildered, Ludlu stumbled to his feet, unaware that his aching upperarms still hoisted forearm and hand straight in the air.

A metallic blockade stood between him and the terror that was Yakkon.

He realized there was a small viewing portal within the spontaneous wall; he peeked inside, to find naught but violet plumes of smoke. Slowly, the swirling maelstroms vanished, to reveal a quite still – and hopefully dead – Majin Yakkon.

"Ludlu, why are you holding your hands up in the air?"

"You lucky son of a…" Never before had he been so pleased to see his old ally. He was so pleased, in fact, that he could barely finish his sentences. "You are so… I… _Is he dead?_"

"Yeah," Sab answered mournfully. "Nerve gas. No clue what Babidi would want with the stuff but… It works. Dissipates completely afterwards, too. Very good substance for quick, clean killing."

"Babidi…" His air of celebration dissolved as quickly as the indigo gas had. "We're the only two left, aren't we? What are we gonna do?"

"We'll tell Babidi what happened… It's those other morons' fault for getting killed," the blue-skinned alien replied mildly.

"He's gonna kill us. Just for what's happened. He's gonna kill us."

"We did kill one of his favorite pets…"

"Why the hell did I sign up for this job? Now it's going to get me killed! _It's all your fault, Sab!_"

His friend sighed tiredly, not even attempting to get excited over their impending doom. "Want to play a final round of B.S. before he gets back?"

"I better die winning, Sab, because if I die with a losing streak I'll never forgive you…"

* * *

_He can't be dead._

Her fingers tapped against the sun-warmed marble of the pillar that had become her leaning post. Her nearly-black sepia eyes studied the Lookout with extreme caution; had to make sure the coast was clear… Bulma and the others had gone inside for a bite to eat, Dende had gone to keep them company… Piccolo and Shin stood at the edge of the sprawling complex, the past Kami saying something with his usual grave scowl pulled, severe, across his face. She disregarded this- they wouldn't notice her.

_Coast clear. _

She withdrew into the shade of the palace, gliding past the dining hall with the stride she had once used for sneaking up on opponents and – later – on sleeping children. Children…

_So, Goku, you think I'm just going to stand by like always?_

_These are my sons too, you know. _

_I'll show that Babidi beast just what it means to mess with the Son family. _

Her feet hit the first step; warily, she breezed down the rest, arriving at the bottom with the minimum noise. Light tumbled in from an open causeway to her left- a balcony, open to the unsullied air of the upper atmosphere. She trotted forward, self-assurance adding resilience to her step. It felt so _good_ to be doing something- something more than watching, for once. She was tired of watching. Her family needed her help.

The raven-haired woman leaned precariously over the edge, all too aware of the very, very, _very _dizzying height at which she currently resided. Motionless, she called out softly into the wind, "Nimbus?"

_Please hear me, Nimbus. I need your help. _

"Nimbus!" Louder this time. She winced, praying no one had heard.

The reassuring whirr infiltrated the hush- the woman gave a euphoric giggle as her husband's trusty saffron cloud pulled up beneath the balcony rail, puttering in welcoming. "Haven't seen you in awhile, Nimbus. Been missing Goten?"

The frequency of putt-putt-putt's increased. She took that as a yes. "Sorry about that. Ever since Goku taught him flying…" _Focus, Chi-chi. There are children to save._ "Nimbus! We have a mission. Do you know where Goku is?"

Another increase in frequency. "Alright. How about Goten?" This time a decrease- her heart sank. "…Gohan?" The putt-putt-putt's got louder, than softer, and Chi-chi assumed this meant confusion. Maybe the cloud hadn't realized Gohan had returned. _Maybe that's not Gohan… _But she wouldn't believe that. "Alright… How about… Majin Buu?" Surprisingly, it answered yes to this. "Fine then. Take me to Majin Buu!"

The wife almost gave an exuberant war-cry, but hastily stuffed a fist into her mouth as she glanced over her shoulder. An empty hallway greeted her. Bracelet weighing down her wrist, her fist was removed as she leapt smoothly onto the puff of moisture. It held with fluffy buoyancy beneath her. "Go fast, Nimbus! As fast as you can!"

_I'm coming for you, Goten. And my Gohan… _

She noted that Nimbus could go very, very fast- but not as fast as her heart was beating.

_This is what I'm _supposed_ to do! _

* * *

Finis

* * *

(1) Cold empire meaning that of King Cold, Freeza's father. Ring a bell? You'd imagine it spread far and wide, so Babidi's men would know of it- and have technology from it. 

Anyhow, that's Chapter 21 finished! Finally. Really, really sorry for the ridiculous wait, again.

Next Time…

_An invisible hand enclosed on his throat. _

_Eyes flashing with anger, Babidi quickly pressed his influence upon the blank slate of his mount's mind- _**Follow him**.__

**Perhaps next time you will remember that your magic can only go so far, fool. **

_"You f-filthy… disgusting_… human!"****

**I remember! **

One of my online friends – Ooshii Kurai – recently got a story deleted for "script format," among other things. She did not have a script format- they thought her review responses were. In precaution, I will not be replying to reviews on this page because losing this story (and its fantabulous reviews, thank you thank you thank you) would be an extreme blow for me.

Thus, I will have my review responses posted, with reviews above them so you don't have to look back, on my livejournal page (go to my author page and click on my homepage, or if you're too lazy for that, it's ).

Sorry if this is an inconvenience – please go look, and feel free to comment on the entry if you want – but I'd really, really be miserable if this story got deleted.

Thank you for reading!

(And 216 reviews! Holy cow! I'm forever in your debt, people.)


	22. Coup and Contravene

Hi!

Back again for update number two. Here we go!

By the way, all four of these updates (two for this story, two for my other, Sabireru) have not been checked over by my beta yet. I decided that the wait's been long enough and I can just replace the chapters later (if there are any corrections to be had, that is).

Quotes were being a real brat lately. I couldn't find any that connected! Sorry if these are totally irrelevant, but they were the pair that finally struck a chord with me for this chapter. Not totally connected to the title, but close enough to the chapter itself.

Last time (You haven't forgotten already, have you?)…

_…And I think he is heading for one of your cities. Each moment we spend '_regaining our wits'_ is a moment in which Majin Buu will draw closer to the innocents of this planet." _

Why'd this have to happen here?

_"One swipe, huh? You better tell your gods to make a place for you then, my friend." _

_"I have given thought to your belief that Jairai is your real son. I asked Babidi where he had gotten him – and he said that it was a gift of his father's."_

_"You don't seem to know a lot of things, Supreme Kai." _

_"You're afraid of Goten's older brother. You let him kill all those people! I'm not afraid of him. He let my dad die."_

_"…You are not going to go out there and die at the hands of Majin Buu."_

_"Why are you here!? You're supposed to go save Goten, too! If you won't save him than _I will!"__

_"You are so… I… _Is he dead?"

* * *

Kokuhaku: Chapter 22 

Coup and Contravene

* * *

****

**"There is poetry in despair, and we sang with unrivaled beauty, **

**Bitter elegies of savagery and eloquence**

**Of blue and gray."**

--"Untitled," AFI

****

**"I am surrendering **

**To gravity and the unknown**

**Catch me... Heal me...**

**Lift me back up to the sun."**

--"Gravity," A Perfect Circle

In Chi-Chi's favor, Goku was far too preoccupied to perceive the shift of his better half's life energy. In an effort to keep his feral passions in check, he had each fragment of thought within his mind tightly clenched together, focusing with absolute resolve on the ki of his foes. His fist trembled faintly; giving a further thrust behind him with his power, he attempted to overlook the tremor.

_How to approach? _

_They're bound to be watching…_

Sighing to relieve some of the tension in his chest, he dropped through the clammy veil, a forest slashing with vibrant emerald across his vision. Far, far ahead him, he suspected he saw the faintest sign of an ocean. Continuing to drop, he lost sight of the sapphire, now seeing only hills and valleys of deciduous and coniferous foliage. He still had at least two hundred feet between him and the canopies; surely he was less obvious now, with his energy suppressed as far as it could go in the current position.

If they hadn't seen him already.

He had been focusing his thoughts so hard that his enemy's energy nearly overtook his senses; for a millisecond, his eyes threatened to close, mind blanking and ears roaring with sound… Then he was flying above the trees once more, a lone hill looming at his side. Unease arose at this dangerous waver of attention; the slight control on those baleful sentiments had slipped.

The tremble had returned.

_"…Dad?" _

_"**I'll kill him!**" _

This is all his fault.

Gohan and Goten, Trunks and Vegeta…

_It's all his fault! _

_The pure, innocent Goku wants to kill someone? What a laugh. Surprised Earth can hold up beneath all the hate you're pouring out. Please, confront Babidi- you'll be a Majin in no time. Hell ain't got nothin' on you, Kakkarot. _

**I'll make him suffer--!**

An invisible hand enclosed on his throat.

Once, twice, blinding illumination swamped his vision; in ethereal clarity, Goku watched the sky fall away as Earth's gravity embraced him once more. Then his eyes were closed…

* * *

Having already been reprimanded for his wave-making several times (Babidi had brought them up too far to create them, anyway), Buu was searching for a new source of entertainment along the clammy banks of silvery cirrus. There wasn't quite so much to do, with the ocean so far below… And even a teensy little cartwheel or loop-de-loop could elicit a trail of curses from his master. 

For the first time in his rather diminished memory, Buu was beginning to feel unrest towards his master. Some deep, instinctual voice was banishing these ideas as blasphemous and said that he would surely fall apart if his master were to meet a sudden end… But slowly, slowly, he was gaining opposition to the deep voice. What if he didn't fall apart? He would be _free_.

Perhaps – as Babidi had threatened – he could drive him 'insane.' This word he did not register right away, but he wanted to try it badly. Perhaps this 'insane' would kill the son of Bibidi… And then he would barely have to do a thing!

Gaining a wicked grin that eerily shadowed his past self, the blubbery creature suddenly dove to the right, doing a shaky circle about the wizard who had been watching him cautiously all along – he now cried out in his grating scratchy tone, his usual irate personality shining true. "Buu! What are you doing!? Can't you stay still for _three minutes_ –"

And Buu shot off the way they had come, laughing gleefully.

Eyes flashing with anger, Babidi quickly pressed his influence upon the blank slate of his mount's mind- **_Follow_****_ him_**.

Gohan reeled about, pulling on a new burst of power; alabaster aura exploded about him, and he was off after the steadily retreating creation.

They had barely gone a hundred feet forward when Buu shot past again, a pink blur- Babidi scrambled for a more secure hold as they whirled about once more in pursuit; Buu was fast, faster than the half-breed could go, and this fact did not surprise the toad in the least. Father always had the better instinct, the more skill when creating a follower… And Buu was the epitome of power and speed, the last and supreme of the great wizards' art.

Now if only he could _control _the damn thing.

The sand-strewn stretch of coastline foamed up from the cobalt waters, and Buu had stopped abruptly above it. Gohan came to a halt.

Babidi smirked, knowing this was a mistake for the creature; now all he had to do was bring him back under control. He levitated off of the demi-Saiyan's back and held his hands aloft.

Still grinning madly, Buu held out his load – the snoozing child Goten – and dropped him.

"You've gone mad!" Babidi cried, rage building. The incantation that had been building within his mind snapped. "You stupid… _Idiotic_…! _HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME!_"

The enraged toad did not notice as Gohan dove towards the earth without orders, catching the falling child just in the nick of time. The ignored servant gradually brought his feet to the sand below.

Above, Bibidi's creation had decided this 'insane' thing took far too long. He shot forward, cackling madly- his gloved hand snatched up Babidi's twig-like neck.

With a wet choking sound, Babidi croaked, "You're crazy… You'll die without… Me…"

Buu suddenly recognized the deep, instinctual voice… It was nearly identical to Babidi's, but possessing a baritone this wizard did not have. A past master – Bibidi.

He began to crush the toad's throat none the less.

But then his hand was empty, and a much hotter wind, one not chilled by the ocean's water and the upper atmosphere, bit at his skin.

He stood in the desert.

Babidi, still at the coastline, rubbed his aching neck; being strangled, he decided, was not the way to die. Who knew how long it would've taken Buu to finish the job? He could've been gasping for air for _minutes_.

The transportation had worked out well, even if he had not had the assistance of his ship's runes; at least _he_, unlike most of his associates, was not inept. But an echo of his father's laughter was slowly winding its way into his conscious… A memory of a past lesson.

**_Look, fool. Your hands shake. What does this indicate, you imbecile?_**

_That I just nearly met my maker, _he had cried as a child; the sleeping form of Yakkon, his first servant, had lain before him. His father had been the one to put it into slumber when it had turned upon him. __

**_No._ **A sting ran through the back of his head, his father's old punishment – a backhanding. **_Wrong, imbecile._****_ Look at your inner self- what is wrong?_**

_My magic._

_My magic is nearly gone. _

**_Correct! Now what must you do to regain the life you have lost?_**

_Rest.__ Regain it. _

_**Perhaps next time you will remember that your magic can only go so far, fool. **_

****

****But, he realized in present day as his father's words rang, there was no time to rest- Buu was somewhere on this planet, most likely returning at full speed, and the final locking spells upon the halfbreed were yet to be completed. Past studies dictated that the boy could only register on the subconscious level at this stage but there was always a chance, a slim, slim chance, that he could make a comeback.

It had only happened once or twice to the Majin.

He did not want to become one of the few to experience it…

But his hands were quaking, not the slight tremors his father had seen that day. They shook and ached, indicating that had been going on for some time… He had been a fool not to notice.

_How can I finish this?_

_I'm nearly all gone._

_Let's hope Buu is far, far away. _

Steeling what magic he had left, Babidi's gaze fell upon Gohan… Well, where Gohan had been.

_Where's he gone to?_

He stretched out with a mental thread of control, aiming to lasso the halfling's mind… Wherever he was. Luckily, he did not have to search long, as the servant was below his very feet…

But the backlash- a searing, vibrant, living and pulsing thing that snapped like some angry lupine at the trespassing loop of control – was not something he expected.

Or welcomed.

A voice he had known far too long, now possessing a lighter tone than it had held in years past, cried out two words in sorrow…

**_I remember! _**

Face taunt with grim certainty, Babidi tightened his proverbial leash and descended to Earth. This was not something he needed… But it was something (_he hoped,_ a timid voice squeaked in the back of his mind) he could control.

* * *

"I wouldn't go down any further, if I were you." 

_Familiar…_

"Doesn't look like it'd be a very comfortable landing."

Goku glanced blearily upward, to whoever it was that had such a strong grip upon his wrist. _So familiar…_ But his eyes refused to see that far.

Scaly pine branches were rubbing coarsely across any bare skin within reach. Slow descent, to the humus-covered ground…

_Why was I falling?_

A rush of vertigo consumed his senses.

* * *

Nimbus refused to get any closer. Sand particles shifting beneath her feet, she dropped down with the debonair of the finest feline- utterly noiseless. The ride had only been a few minutes; now, almost wishing she had military paint to spread beneath her eyes and a camouflage flak jacket to pull on, Chi-chi peered over the sand dune. She felt almost foolish, kneeling there in her prim dress and neatly-kempt hair. 

There he was.

She assumed that the little toad was Babidi; from her weak learnings of evil tyrants, they were usually the short, wizened ones. No one else was in sight, due to a voluminous patch of beach grass which had taken root to her left. This was probably a good thing; it kept Babidi from seeing her.

The "evil tyrant" seemed quite disheveled. He appeared to be panting, cape flaring out behind him with the outgoing sea breeze. Brow pinched in a scowl, he seemed to be shouting at someone, but the crashing of the waves upon the beach was impeding her ability to make it out.

_Do I run up right now?_

_Or do I wait… Is this my only chance to make an impact? Some impact I'll make. I'm just a human after all. _

She scowled. _I may be a human, but I can still give that beast one hell of a slap. _

Step- someone new was in her view, revealing themselves from behind the grassy curtain. They towered over the wizard, stance obviously displaying that they were well-trained in the physical arts and possessing a large amount of ki, as well.

Babidi's shout reached a new pitch.

_That's…_

**Gohan.**

The last time she had seen her son – alive – was when Goku had pulled him out the door, an eleven-year-old child off to fight in a battle no child should have witnessed. He had returned dead.

And yet, she could still, if she focused hard enough, feel her arms around him in a tight embrace and smell his unique aroma- hear his somber, yet cheery voice. She had heard of people, after the death of loved ones, forgetting their beloveds' tone.

The mere thought had terrified her.

This was her Gohan, her baby, standing before her again.

So much for plans.

Her feet dug into the ground, lost their footing in the grainy substance, and then shoved her up and over the dune, across the many davits and pockmarks in the beach terrain. She did not do what she had dreamt of doing – run up and smother her elder son in a choking bear hug – instead, she elbowed him in the side. Bit of a mistake since it barely budged him, but it gained her leverage to push past and end up right in front of a certain green-skinned monstrosity.

"Babidi."

More than a little surprised, the addressed wiped a film of sweat from his forehead and eyed her with despicable yellowed eyes. "Son Chi-chi."

Without further pleasantries, she slammed a knee into the wizard's chin.

Stumbling back with several loosened teeth, Babidi gave an enraged – and astonished – screech. "You—Why won't you filthy humans _stop hitting me!_"

Chi-chi turned about, keeping her composure.

She had seen what had happened at the World Tournament stadium.

Significantly loftier than her, the being she had once claimed as an adored son observed her with detached interest. Her stance trembled slightly.

Babidi was muttering at her back, inane little curses, and shuffling about idly. The female barely noticed this; all attention was on this man before her, or was it even a man? He seemed so stoic that it was almost impossible to believe that a beating heart resided inside his chest. Even Piccolo, who seemed the king of both demons and insensate expressions, had not mastered such a level of apathy.

He had killed so many in the ring…

Suddenly all of her courage, her drive, had disappeared. She no longer wanted to move. For that single moment, she wanted to forget this creature, forget the slave that so strikingly resembled her son… Wanted to believe all the deceit Shin had been pressing from the beginning…

Lies. All lies.

_"It wasn't Gohan?" _

_"I'm not sure, Chi-chi. I… I really don't know yet."_

Something strikingly warm was running down her cheek as she whispered, so lightly that it was barely audible, "You aren't my Gohan…"

He did not move, did not say a word. Expression still a silent stare.

"You f-filthy… disgusting… _human!_"

She did not register the events that took place; all the woman noted was the exceedingly strong hand that suddenly slammed into her shoulder shoving her forward and down… Her face met a sandy earth.

Metal penetrating something soft…

A soft grunt was heard.

Then Babidi was speaking again, still seething with hate; Chi-chi was almost afraid to push herself up, turn and see… But she had to… Had to…

Crimson leeched easily into pure white fibers, spreading down and down… The mother slowly became aware that she was unable to breathe.

Wrenching almost comically with all his might, the wizard managed to remove the veritable murder weapon – a sword of decent length, now stained carmine – and swing it clumsily in the petrified human's direction.

Gohan had been stooped in his protective movement; now he pulled an arm to his midriff, a slightly worthless attempt to stem the flow of blood.

* * *

_I can't believe I'm doing this…_

_Can't believe I actually _care_…_

The ogre's cherry-red face, framed with ebony beard and hair, was slowly growing more and more restless. Some might have been honored to have Lord Yama's undivided attention; Vegeta was too preoccupied to notice.

"Vegeta!" The bookkeeper finally roared, bringing forth a tremor that caused several office-demons to cover their ears.

"_What?_" He shouted back with just as much irritation (though he did not create a small-scale earthquake in the process). Previous internal arguments now forgotten, Vegeta focused his frustration on the towering oni.

"I've already sentenced you to H.F.I.L.- now will you _move_, please? You aren't the only dead soul around." He gestured exasperatedly towards the endless line of puffy clouds behind the Saiyan.

Vegeta's eyes darted towards a small gathering in corner- some office ogres that had taken a break to watch Uranai Baba's gazing ball. In a slightly more controlled voice, he inquired, "May I remain here?"

Yama stared at him blankly. "Here? The check-in station?"

"I'm going to be in HFIL for the rest of the eternity, can I at least watch the fight?"

The demon remained silent, obviously baffled by this new query. For once, the prince stood patiently, not pushing the lord's decision.

When the rumbling voice came, he could not say he was too pleased with the answer.

"I'll consider it. Wait outside as I make my decision."

Left eye twitching slightly, he did as told, with no small amount of indignity.

Vegeta, prince of Saiyans, banished outside like a small child…

The _shame_.

* * *

Finis

* * *

Alright, that's Chapter 22 over and done with. How was it? Good, bad? 

I've probably lost half of my reviewers in the wait, haven't I… Again, so sorry for the ridiculously long time it took to get these chapters out. I doubt double update was enough to make up for it, but… I try…

This section of has slowed down tremendously. Hope all of you haven't left…

So anyway.

Next time!

_"Nimbus!"_

_"You think… you can hold me back with this? You little_ traitor."

_"Did you ever believe I was loyal to you?"_

_The human gave a grim smile. "You aren't going to win this time, are you Goku?" _

**Brother!**

Can't give you much more than that, 'cause I don't have much written yet. My main file has come to an end. But it looks like it's going to be really fun to write, so I shouldn't stall as badly as I did with this last update (after all, it's got lotsa action and angsty fun; whereas Ch. 21 was a bunch of talk and boring stuff. It takes me awhile to dredge through the boring stuff).

So, if you reviewed last time, please go check for a response on my Livejournal. Sorry for the inconvenience. It should be on August 20th, but it might be on the 21st because who knows how long it'll take me to post this and get through with those.

Thank you for reading!


	23. Retribution

Hola!

Long time no see (It wasn't as long as last time, at least! I'm improving!). I'm speeding up with writing, I think, now that the nightmare load of homework slowed down a bit. Hopefully all of you haven't lost interest, with my ridiculous bouts of laziness… Thank you for your patience! And thank you _so _much for your reviews! Way more than I ever expected.

So here goes Chapter 23. Thanks so much for reading, please pay attention to the A/N at the end for my further rants and stuff.

Happy cheers and all that good stuff go out to Lady Eldalean and Kage Onna for their awesome editing! Thankyuu, thankyuu! Caught many mistakes that I would've totally missed...

Disclaimer: I don't own. Never will. Never have. It's a fanfic, people. Fan ain't there to make it sound sophisticated.

Last time on Kokuhaku:

_ Once, twice, blinding illumination swamped his vision; in ethereal clarity, Goku watched the sky fall away as Earth's gravity embraced him once more. Then his eyes were closed…_

_ "You stupid… Idiotic…! _HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME!

** Perhaps next time you will remember that your magic can only go so far, fool.**

** I remember!**

_ Something strikingly warm was running down her cheek as she whispered, so lightly that it was barely audible, "You aren't my Gohan…"_

_ He did not move, did not say a word. Expression still a silent stare._

_ "You f-filthy… disgusting… human!"_

Why was I falling?

_ A rush of vertigo consumed his senses._

-------------------------------

Kokuhaku: Chapter 23

Retribution

-------------------------------

**"Quem di diligunt, adolescens moritur.**   
Whom the gods love, die young."   
--Anonymous

_ Here… _

_Don't remember. _

_ …Why?_

There was something stirring within the nothingness. Clouds, tendrils, choking and confusing him… Stealing something away from him… He no longer remembered what. Or why. Could barely formulate a thought anymore.

_ Why?_

Something was willing him to fall asleep but somehow, he could not obey. _Because I already am_, something whispered. An ache of a limb that was not there reached into his mind. _Already sleeping._ Panic was tearing at a phantom stomach. _Something is leaving! Leaving me. _What?

The ghost stomach vanished. The phantom ache was eliminated. Why was he worried? Why was he anything?

And he gradually quieted, settling into the nothingness, inquiries relinquished to the pressing clouds of hot… cold… naught.

_ Nothing to know.__ Nothing to see. Nothing is leaving… _

Something.

_ Something is leaving,_ he argued with that unidentifiable whisper. _It's slipping away! I don't know what but it is, it is, I'm sure of it, _I have to know_…_

**_ "-Ten."_**

_ A number? Ten. I don't understand. What is leaving! I… _

_ What am I so worried about?_

A specter's hands were resting on his shoulders, weight bearing onto a back that he wasn't certain that he possessed.

So _sleep. Nothing. Nothing is going… You are becoming… **nothing.** _

_ I…_

"Hope Dad won't be mad."

_ What does it _**mean?**_ What _are_ these thoughts!? _

_ Why…!_

The clouds parted into a gaping schism, and a single image appeared with burning clarity.

A boy. Asleep, cherubic features somehow troubled, charcoal hair shifting in an unheard and unfelt breeze. A boy so similar to…

_ This is… _

Shock slowly crept into a body that did not exist.

Goten.

_ This is Goten. _

**_ I remember! _**

And like the gates of Heaven itself, the walls of bitter uncaring slammed into place, blocking his… brother…

_ Idiot.__ Idiot. _A seething, livid voice, gravelly and shrill, was penetrating his mind. He almost shouted in violation, but could do no such thing- like the image, so had his ability to communicate been torn away. The voice began to fuss. _Now I've got to do the whole incantation again! What a great waste of time this will be! And a waste of magic. I don't have the _time_ for this! It's not like you can do anything, only half a mind and _why must you be so damn contradictive, brat!?_ Just submit to the stupid curse, damn you… _

Sleep. He wanted to sleep. So tired, needed to sleep, it was just beckoning him, and why stay awake? There was no reason to…

The creature – _Babidi_, regained memories shouted, _his name is Babidi!_ – became abruptly silent. And something new was filtering in, the clouds gradually thinning.

A woman was between him and a toad-like creature, feet firmly planted in the sandy soil of a beach. The boy – Goten – was no longer within his arms. The woman was shouting something; then she had turned to him, and his muddled mind simply observed in quiet confusion.

As if he were underwater, all was garbled and the human's features were not nearly so clear as Goten's had been before. No sound seemed to carry through.

He did not recognize this female.

The tendrils of beckoning slumber were still impeding all around, calling him, calling him…

Some audio slipped through the mire. "You aren't my son." Her voice was almost angelic, not resounding with something he had come to subconsciously expect – cruelty, anger. Her voice was smooth, human… sad.

Before his slothful thought could process these words, something was moving, and he gradually registered that it was himself. What was driving it, he did not know - something fierce, enraged, and protective at the edge of his awareness – and the next sensation was something he was not sure he welcomed.

With a rush of vertigo, he was shoved back into the crystalline clarity of the real world… of his body. All moisture drained from his throat as a paralyzing agony crashed into his newly-gained consciousness with excruciating force.

Anesthetizing chemicals kicked in, masking the source of pain from an already shell-shocked halfbreed. He felt sand press against his knees… sweat begin to bead on his forehead… but his midsection didn't seem to exist any longer, according to his benumbed senses.

Babidi was nearly at eyelevel in this position. He bared yellowed teeth in a sickening grin, wrenching a now-bloodied sword from its resting place. His grip was not secure, and the sword wobbled clumsily before finally falling to the dirt below. Now placing two hands upon it, the wizard swung it upwards, pointing it at someone behind him.

"That was _convenient_… Now it's your turn."

"**_Gohan,_**" the woman sobbed at his back.

That foreign something had once more taken over- he stumbled to a stand and turned around, arm pressing worthlessly against the steady stream of warm crimson that was escaping his midriff.

"Get out of here. You can't stay!" His words sounded like someone else's, resounding and furious.

"No, no," the human cried. "I can't leave you! You've got to come back…"

"Go!" he shouted hoarsely. His voice cracked.

_ Who is saying this_, Okiri wondered to himself. _I'm not doing any of this… What threw me in front of this woman?_

The human trembled.

Okiri started in confusion. _That, she's…_

A foreign word escaped his lips. Pleading, now. "Mother…"

_ Mother! _

Babidi was moving at his back- this time it was at the half-Saiyan's own will that he twisted around, hand catching the blade before the wizard could strike again. His defenses had obviously been down before; he would not make the same mistake twice.

"Go!" the outsider ordered once more_. Something else is here,_ Okiri grunted._ Is the wizard still controlling me? Something else is –_

((It's _me_, you idiot!))

"Me" didn't bring anything to mind in his memory banks. Tossing the thought aside, he focused on the sword biting against his palm, preparing to wrench it from the wizard's grip. But the drowsy fog was back with a vengeance, tightening its inescapable grip around his mind once more. _No! Can't stop now! _

The sword was removed from his hand at this lack of concentration; a fiery pain shot through his arm, bringing an answering roar of agony from his stomach. He grimaced and, for the first time, registered the metallic tang of blood which had slowly crept into his mouth. The brief convulsion was washed aside by adrenaline and Okiri managed to lithely dodge another gauche swing of the metallic weapon.

His gaze swept over his shoulder.

Chi-chi was gone.

Another clumsy maneuver. This time Babidi gave up, tossing the sword down with a screech of frustration. "Look, I've already _impaled_ you. Just fall down!"

Breathing heavily, the half-Saiyan came to a stand still, left arm instinctively returning to its place at his injured midriff.

A wave of nausea roiled within his throat.

((Blood loss,)) the foreign entity noted. ((Too serious to ignore now…))

_ Who the hell _are_ you?_

((For Kami's _sake! …_Who the hell is _he?_))

While lost in this bizarre conversation with the alien trespasser of his body the demi-Saiyan had stopped registering the outside world. Now it returned with a flash of blinding color – Babidi had crumpled to the earth, and a young boy stood over him, eyes wide and fearful.

"Kid," Okiri mumbled, unintentionally aloud, in response to the invader's inquiry.

A wash of white exhaustion claimed the teenager's perception for only a split second, but that was enough. Rather unceremoniously, Gohan collapsed to the sandy earth.

-------------------------------

"I lost," Saab intoned disbelievingly. "How did I lose? I actually _lost_."

"Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but that means I get control of the universe." Ludlu grinned mockingly. Their bets had grown increasingly ridiculous over the last few games of Go Fish; nothing to lose and nothing to gain, that was their motto for their last few hours of existence. "You know, I wonder who Babidi's going to sic on us: the halfbreed or that Buu thing?"

"Ah, probably Buu. Did you hear him when those humans showed up with the last of the energy? He was nearly bouncing off the walls with excitement."

"He also had the Supreme Kai. He's always bragging about how his father killed all the other Supreme Kais ever since we came here. You know how he is, gets ecstatic over any little victory." Ludlu tapped his chin, contemplating. Finally, he offered a hand to his friend. "I bet all of the Cold Empire that he uses the halfbreed."

"And I Buu." Grinning, Saab took the hand. "Do I get Freeza's old army, too?"

"If you want to revive it, sure. Maybe you can get those Dragonballs that Earth is supposed to have."

"That's just a myth, idiot."

Ludlu became skeptical. "No, I heard that they revived some Saiyan with them."

His companion had risen to his feet, rubbing his thighs to resuscitate the flow of blood. He gave a chuckle at his friend's doubt. "You can't bring someone back to life, Ludlu, unless the master's doing it. If that'd been possible I'd be back home right now."

"Maybe the Dragonballs make you work for them, too," Ludlu murmured. "You're probably right." The pale-skinned alien shoved himself to his feet as well, pausing before asking a long ruminated question: "Saab, do you think this was worth it?"

"King Cold never won, did he? Master Babidi protected our planet from the Elites. My brothers are alive for it."

"As am I, but… We've done many horrible things for him in turn. We've harmed a lot more than those of our home villages. And that halfbreed – I think that's the worse thing we've done so far."

"Any more thoughts like that and the master will have his symbol branded on your forehead, fool," Saab retorted harshly. "With all the others gone he'll be delighted to have at least one mindless slave. _It was worth it._ And the halfbreed… _We_ didn't do it. The master did. We just held him back."

"And Dabura…," Ludlu shuddered. "I think… we did something really wrong. Maybe we'll go to Hell for it… Maybe all this is Zhurra's (1) revenge on us for hurting the kid."

"You think we're _bukatu_for doing as ordered? Soldiers don't go to Hell, and soldiers don't get punished. We aren't here on our own free will! We couldn't do anything about it! You saw what happened with that kid for going against Babidi – he wouldn't think twice about killing us if we stepped out of line." Saab seemed to arouse himself from the dark conversation, and placed a becalming hand on his comrade's shoulder. "Look, do we have to spend our last moments of life on depressing crap like that?"

"_Yes._"

He turned, shoving Ludlu through the nearby door. "Wrong answer. Let's go get some fresh air... This place is starting to reek of dead animal."

-------------------------------

When the first swath of vision brushed against Goten's mind, he was completely disoriented; disjointed memories of brothers and wizards had mixed together into a jumbled mess, one that took several seconds to untangle. Once everything was straightened out again, Babidi's voice – one he had grown to loathe – managed to knock him back into confusion. "Look, I've already _impaled _you. Just fall down already!"

_ Where am I? _

Warm sand pressed against the back of his hands, lending its heat into the fabric of his clothes as well. A sun bleached sky spread unending above him.

A heavy thunk sounded nearby, and suddenly the sixth sense that he usually monitored by instinct kicked in. Malignant ki, somehow different from that which he usually sensed, pulsed pathetically nearby. And a few feet past that, a pure and yet flickering energy that was mockingly similar to his father's guttered with fatigue. He had begun to recognize the eerily familiar ki signature over the day – his brother's.

Frightened, Goten clambered to his feet, taking in the scene with a fighter's quick senses. Babidi stood a few meters away, breathing heavily and leaning on a gleaming sword that was stained with carmine. And past him was a half-conscious Gohan, pressing one arm against an obviously major and possible mortal wound.

Panic seized his throat.

Acting before fully thinking through the situation, Goten tumbled across the unstable sand. The movement caught Babidi's attention, and the wizard turned a little – long enough to emulate a look of surprise as the child's small fist slammed into his jawbone with unnatural force. Thrown forward a good three feet, the toad landed in an unconscious heap, sword dislodged from his grip.

Goten was fully awakened from the abrupt exertion. Steadying his breath, he looked up to his brother with uncertainty. He was not sure what to expect anymore when it came to Son Gohan.

Appearing slightly dazed, the teenager simply muttered "kid" and collapsed face first to the sun-scorched beach.

-------------------------------

Something itchy had worked its way into his hair. It rubbed against his scalp when he moved. Irritated, he brushed a clumsy hand across in the general area. He missed; the lodged object only scratched again, intensifying the maddening itch.

"That didn't take very long." He would've jumped at the unexpected statement, but he wasn't sure his body was up to that yet. Instead, he frowned. _Again with that _voice

A dull headache throbbed in response to the slow regain of consciousness. Something was burning at the back of his throat, some excitement at the pit of his stomach that urged him to remember some anticipated event. A fight? A discovery?

He finally managed to open his eyes.

Perhaps a reunion with an old friend.

Tien gave a slight smile, the minute attempt at mirth sullied by some deep-seated unrest. The human was leaning against a pine's scaly trunk, garbed in a simplistic combination of a green gi and white scarf.

Goku quickly ran a hand through his hair, dislodging the dead leaves and needles that had roused him. His throat still burned. Either he was thirsty, or a chance meeting with Tien was not what he had expected.

Letting his hand fall to his side, he addressed the long-unanswered statement.

"What didn't take very long?"

"Waking up. You were heading for a very unpleasant landing there. You're lucky cowardly old me was nearby. So what has the great Son Goku dropping out of the sky?"

"You probably know the answer better than I do," Goku muttered darkly. "Buu and the others are getting farther ahead of me, anyway."

His stomach jerked- oh, that was probably it. Anticipation of the fight. He wasn't sure if it was Saiyan instinct rejoicing… or human personality dreading.

"Ah… Goku. This isn't going to be easy, is it?"

The fullbreed laughed. "Has it ever been?"

"At least before it was clear cut. Cell was bad – we killed him. So was Freeza, and Vegeta before he decided to change sides."

"You weren't."

Now it was the human's turn to laugh. "Back then? You didn't know what bad _was_, half the time. You couldn't tell or care if I was bad or good. It's just sheer luck that you turned me around."

Goku remained silent, studying the forest floor.

Smile fading, Tien became terse. "Look, Goku, before I've doubted… But now I'm pretty certain. I don't believe you can… or _should_… win this one."

"Then I guess this'll be the end, then? The challenges kept getting harder and I was happy with that. But now it's gone beyond me." The Saiyan took on an expression of pained resolve. "Might as well try, right? This isn't the first time I've been doubted."

"Last time you failed. Now the person who won has turned against us."

Goku rose to his feet in a singular motion. Tien flinched as cold fury intermingled with his friend's usual calm. "Maybe this time I _won't_."

"I'm not challenging you, Goku, I'm just telling you what I've been thinking about. This fight isn't for humans, either way. I leave it to you."

"No pressure," Goku surmised benignly, calming.

The fighter grimaced. "No pressure."

The pine needles stirred listlessly as the Saiyan's ki disrupted their rest. Suddenly fatigued, Tienshinhan watched with weary eyes as the Earth's last savior disappeared into the treetops.

_ So what'd you fall for, Goku? Gravity too much for a great warrior like you? We're all exhausted from a day of this .The Sons are being torn apart. _

_ Who knows what's going to be left after all this… _

-------------------------------

Goten's knees ploughed through the sand when he landed, but he didn't notice. His hands crashed into his brother's shoulder. Stricken with dread, he began to roughly shake him, praying for any response.

He was rewarded with a dazed jerk. Gohan's eyes slowly flickered open, and the teenager focused – with some difficulty – on his little brother.

"Kid, and… brother," he murmured weakly, words stirring the sand around his face.

"Gohan!" Goten glanced hurriedly towards Babidi- the wizard was still supine nearby. "C'mon, Gohan, you can _go_. We can take you back home."

"That'd be nice." A brief flicker of pain passed over his face. "If I could remember what it was like."

The child frowned, frustrated. "You'll remember. Come on, while he's still sleeping! Dad will come and –"

"No."

"What?"

A semblance of clear thought seemed to have broken through the demi-Saiyan's injured haze. "No- Dad's the worst thing right now. Goten, you can get out of here… Tell someone – Piccolo, anyone – to destroy Babidi's ship. I'll see to Babidi. But you've got to go… Buu's coming back now. He'll kill you if he sees you…"

"I won't, Gohan!" Aggravation mounting all the higher, the younger brother balled his fists, falling back onto his feet. "I'm gonna save you! The bad man will hurt you more if I leave!"

"Babidi? I'm not afraid of him," Gohan boasted feebly. The brag was slightly hampered by the crimson line that had managed to escape the corner of his mouth. "But Buu could hurt you very badly. Goten, get out of here…"

"No!"

Gohan's eyes closed for a second; he lingered, struggling softly for air. Then he managed to gather his resolve once more. Managing a scowl, he urged, "Look, just _go!_ I'll take care of this. Maybe I'll see you… if I don't… then it wasn't meant to be. I'll take care of this, Goten... Just get out of here!" With this said, he slowly sank back to the sand, breathing all the more labored.

"I won't leave you," the chibi muttered stubbornly.

The warm moisture that collided with Gohan's cheek was unrecognizable at first- then he realized its source.

Dazed, he stared at his little brother.

Goten's tears flowed unabated as the chibi sobbed, "I don't want you to leave. Veggie did and I want you to stay. Papa said you're nice… Please stay."

"You'd… cry for me?"

The child did not comprehend these words. Gohan frowned, barely managing to maintain focus. "It's a… waste."

A mist of exhaustion was slowly claiming Gohan's consciousness. Now unable to keep his eyes open, both Okiri and his mysterious visitor felt a resounding pang of sorrow. For the first time in a long time, the halfbreed longed with all his heart for home.

Once more, he brought the world into a hazy attempt at vision.

Babidi raised the sword's hilt as high as he could – Goten did not look up, focused solely upon his older brother.

Okiri attempted to mutter a warning, but it was too late.

The sword hilt came crashing down.

-------------------------------

Babidi grinned in satisfaction as the child crumpled to the ground, scanning his servant's mind for any reaction. A wordless exclamation – simply a flash of color across his mind, translated only as '!!' – was his sole response. Well, that was satisfaction enough for him. Stepping around the now unconscious child, he allowed the heavy sword to fall to the hot sand.

"You know, brat –" he delivered a kick to the teenager's side, and cursed himself for it in return as his toes burned with pain "-for a famed Saiyan you weren't that hard to defeat. Brain wins over brawn after all! All you need is the right controls and even the toughest skin can be broken." Flashing yellowed teeth in yet another dark smile, he planted his feet in front of the boy's face. The demi-Saiyan did not stir. "Proud of me now, Father? I've broken the strongest warrior of the universe!"

_ I've done it._ Done it._ Only one more task… And then I'll have him completely. I've done everything like I was told, followed every step! The innocent's blood has been spilled…_

_ Years of study and preparation. Hunting down the perfect subject. Training him, breaking him… And understanding his every thought, function, every cell in his body… _

_ With this it will be complete. _

_ Now we will be one. _

Deep exhilaration ran through his veins at the sight of the prone Earthling, like an electric charge. Even the near fatal lack of magic was forgotten for that brief minute.

_ If he dies, I will bring him back a perfect Majin, broken in mind and empty in soul. Free for my taking… That is the way. _

Incantations were already coming to mind, the body and the soul…

The sword was in his hand once more.

**_ Be mine. _**

Yellowed eyes widened, and a burst of sweat quickly worked its way into the sword's hilt when light brighter than the sun burned into his retinas.

Sword still in hand, Babidi had barely taken in the breath to scream before he was completely obliterated.

-------------------------------

Finis Chapter

-------------------------------

(1)- Zherra: a god of Ludlu's native religion. On his planet, Zherra was seen as the god of death and vengeance. Despite its sinister occupation, it was considered the most honorable of the gods.

I doubt any of you paid attention, but none – nada – zilch of my preview from last time showed up in this chapter. That's 'cause since August I've rewritten this thing over… and over… and over again. I was surprised when I realized tonight that I was actually done. Downright shocked, actually. More changes might be coming. I'm considering making that last section directly from Babidi's point of view rather than sort of. I dunno. I like giving him an abrupt ending, it's all the little twerp deserves.

And to clarify real quick: No, Ludlu and Saab do not come from the same planet. They come from very different planets. Babidi just happened to use the same trick twice.

(Boo yeah, restraining from the little anime-style smileys so far.)

Next time! (Reader notice: As I said last time, my main file has come to an end. In other words, Chapter 24 has not officially been started yet. In other other words, I am taking a stab in the dark with this. So if none of this shows up next time, it's just because I didn't go the exact way that I intended at this point in time. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing…)

_ "You like me… Good… and bad, yes?" _

_ An aimless finger trailed gently over the boy's cheek – when crimson shadowed its path, he jerked back with guilt. _

_ The carmine streak made his decision. _

This place is no longer for me…

He looked just like… He looked _alive_…

** … I wanted to kill him.**

All review responses, like last time, will be at my Livejournal account. Look at my author's page (click on my author name at the top of this page) to get to a link. Read before you click! I have more than one link there. The date can be found at the top of the entry, in the far right corner in italics. Yes, I know it's tiny. If you can't find it go to my memories and look at "Review Responses" or go to my calendar and look for November 10.

Thank you for reading (hope I went over everything) and I hope I can speed up the update next time. Your patience and _awesome_ reviews (230 230 230!) are greatly appreciated! (Woot that tab can now be used, but I will really rejoice the day that indents are preserved in the transition from Word to QuickEdit.) (Haha...Ha... I just spent 10 minutes indenting this entire document, and then it all jumped back when I updated it. Hah. That's funny. Real funny.)


	24. The Fallacy of Freedom

Back again (finally!)

Eternal thanks to Lady Eldaelen for editing this chapter She did a great job.

Review responses will be posted, as always, on my Livejournal. Check under the Review Responses category of my memories (see author bio for links, etcetera). I suggest reading any responses after reading this chapter.

Disclaimer! I do not own Dragonball Z, its characters, its quirks, its whatever... All belong to Akira Toriyama. Yay.

Last time:

_"Ah… Goku. This isn't going to be easy, is it?"_

_The fullbreed laughed. "Has it ever been?"_

_Babidi__ raised the sword's hilt as high as he could – Goten did not look up, focused solely upon his older brother._

_Okiri__ attempted to mutter a warning, but it was too late._

_The sword hilt came crashing down._

_Babidi__ had barely taken in the breath to scream before he was completely obliterated._

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Kokuhaku: Chapter 24

The Fallacy of Freedom

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**"Memento mori.**  
Remember you must die."  
--Latin Proverb

So here he was.

Waiting.

Vegeta, prince of all Saiyans, lounging about like a child under time-out.

He wondered if his sane mind had been lost in the transition between Earth and the Afterlife.

Of course, he always had ulterior motives for everything he did. In this case, he had no desire to remain near Yama for the sake of watching the happenings on Earth, as he had said - he was waiting to see who would be first to make a one-way trip to the Afterlife.

Though not the prime position, a seat at the entrance to the airstrip taking souls to Heaven or HFIL was enough for him to pick up the ogre king's booming voice as he inquired of the soul's name, home planet, and reason of death. Not a single one had been sent to HFIL – past himself – and he chose to shoot each passing puff-cloud an equally disgusted stare as they floated past.

_Weaklings.__ Do-gooders. Who wants to go to Heaven, anyways?_

Scowling, he silently wished that everyone on earth was having a hard time with that Buu creature. He couldn't believe that he had blown himself up for the thing; it hadn't done anything but gotten him in his current position, playing the nosy housewife/punished child for who knows what reason.

_Probably could've won if I wasn't distracted by that moron of a Saiyan._ If Shenlong ever wished him back – that is, if that toad didn't succeed in turning Earth to dust – he made an unvoiced vow to punch Kakkarot right in his smug, happy-go-lucky face. Of course, pure logic dictated that at the time of his death-bringing decision Kakkarot had not been on his mind at all. As per usual, this more rational tone was cast aside for the self-preserving one.

"Sir?"

It was another of those despicable little office-ogres, standing in front of Yama's desk. The office-ogres were almost as aggravating as the souls that floated past, he reckoned. "The wizard's just arrived."

_What?_

"Good, send him to the front."

Vegeta got to his feet, previous musings lost. This was what he had been waiting for. Was it over?

He hadn't heard any cheers from Uranai Baba's little gathering of oni. That meant the fight wasn't over yet… But he now had a course of action to take. Smirking in his slightly-demonic manner (he was finished with being good for the day), he leaned against the stone-crafted doorway and listened in.

"Babidi, son of Bibidi, of the Majin clan… You are hereby sent to the Home for Infinite Losers under charges of the prolonged torment and undoing of an innocent soul."

_ Well, he certainly didn't wait on that decision. _

_ Innocent soul?_

_ That brat really _was _the gaki… _

Apparently, the wizard had not lost any grace – or arrogance – over his demise. As pronounced and egotistical as ever, he replied, "There's too many of them in the universe, anyway! I thought one or two could use a little _dirtying up_."

"You are also charged with the orchestrating of the murders of 29,456 souls within the North and South Quadrants. You are never to be allowed back into the Upper Levels of the Otherworld, under any circumstances, and are bound to HFIL for the rest of eternity." The prince was quite certain that a stern frown was accompanying this load of sophisticated and lawful nonsense, but he had no desire to imagine it; instead, he worked on formulating a plan. Time was of the essence, and this might be the last thing he could do before spending eternity in the Underworld…

He formed his plan.

_Enough fooling around._

Yama's stamp echoed through the hall, which had grown disturbingly quiet with the arrival of the mass murderer. The loud bang brought a stirring bit of finality to his former thought.

Babidi's fate was sealed. The wizard would have gotten a parting comment in, but by the sounds of the shoe-scraping, it appeared that two ogres had snatched up the creature's twig-like arms and proceeded in hauling him to Vegeta's current point of residence.

Once he was certain Yama had found occupation in the next soul, he proceeded in stepping with no little grandeur in front of Babidi's captors. "I'll take it from here."

Babidi twitched slightly, eyeing him with something akin to trepidation. The oni, however, were simply confused. "You ain't one of Yama's, Vegeta… He told you to wait here…"

"Well, I've decided I'm tired of waiting and I'm just going to go to HFIL myself. Why waste the trip? I'll drop him all safe and sound with the guards there, no harm done, and you can take the next souls."

Distrust continued to distort the second ogre's face. "We should clarify with Lord Yama, first…"

"He won't mind! Why would he? I'm sure he needs your help with all these souls that have been coming in…"

"Ah, come on, Phil, we can take an extra coffee break!"

"Yea… Alright…" Still eyeing him cautiously, 'Phil' released Babidi's arm and shoved his cargo towards the waiting Saiyan Prince.

Without a further word, Vegeta snatched up the wizard's pencil-thin arm, leaping off the causeway and into the yellow-stained clouds below.

Phil remained for a second, watching the slight whirlpool of saffron cloud that had been created by the abrupt departure. "You sure that was a good idea, man?"

"Sure, why not… What would Vegeta do to a little guy like that?"

-------------------------------

For him it was a blink, one millisecond of blank space and then the beach world was there once more and he was on his feet, raging, instincts screaming as his mind bellowed his brother's name… It was Babidi, had to get Babidi…

And then he realized that his adversary was gone. His brother was at his feet, seemingly asleep. Probably unconscious. But breathing… and safe.

This slowly drained the energy from his limbs, and a numb voice in the back of his mind was wondering why he wasn't the same as his brother… or worse. When he first looked at his stomach – where a hole certainly should have been – he almost thought he was still wounded. The front of his gi was a bloody mess, tattered and soaked. But the pain had vanished, and the skin beneath the crimson material was astoundingly whole.

Gohan looked up, nothing but confusion coursing through him. When he registered the creature standing before him, however, he instinctively fell back, one foot placing itself behind the other, knees bent and arms raised in a distinctive defense stance.

Majin Buu cocked his head in the universal sign of bewilderment. "Boy fixed?"

Okiri stirred, confused. _Buu did this? _

It was true… Something told him it was. He gradually realized that this was not the first time Bibidi's creation had healed him. But he couldn't quite remember where it had happened before.

He found he could not speak.

_Why did he do this? Where has Babidi gone? I can't feel him anywhere… I…_

And with sheer gracelessness, he fell backwards into the sand, landing on his rump. He dragged carmine-stained hands into his view. _Babidi's gone. _

-------------------------------

The drop of temperature as he rose into the sky was enough to bring him to full awareness. He dove into a low cloud, feeling the clammy moisture pull at his skin and gi. The taste of the ocean was barely perceptible among the fogbank.

For the moment, Goku had calmed; for the moment, Goku could think.

_"So what has the great Son Goku dropping out of the sky?" _

_ I don't know_, he replied in silence. _Maybe it's fatigue. Maybe holding my ki that low in flight made me black out._

He wished that his mind would assure him it was that simple. But something was wrong… Something past low altitudes and ki-masking.

The headache had returned, dull and distracting. He rubbed his forehead in an attempt to stem the pain. The action achieved nothing.

Despite the impediment, Majin Buu's sudden burst of energy further ahead did not miss his attention; abandoning former inhibitions, he tore out over the sapphire ocean at full speed.

_Enough time wasted. I must face this **now.**_

His stomach lurched. A faint tremble was growing within his fingers.

-------------------------------

**He's gone. **

Gohan shuddered. For now the magician's absence was only noticeable to him in the lack of restraint upon his energy, but it was still frightening in its depth. His master and tormentor… _dead?_

_Did Buu do this, too?_

He finally regained his voice, looking up with immense respect at the pudgy creature. The word that he managed to voice came out dry, but the emotion placed behind it was enough to gain the Majin's attention. "Buu…"

The creature's head was distorted as something impacted with its face; great force had been placed behind the blow for it to throw Buu as far as it did. Majin Buu fell back a good hundred yards, colliding with a rocky shoal before grinding to a halt among a pile of demolished rock.

Okiri stared with bland puzzlement at the new being that stood before him. It was still swayed in a comic exaggeration of the punch it had thrown, stoic eyes settled upon where its opponent had landed. It was pale gray and lanky, resembling some hundred-year-old boxer still raring for the final match. But past its coloration and weight, it was practically identical to Majin Buu, from clothing to antennae.

Before, Okiri had doubted that anything could feel worse than Buu's limitless energy. Now that energy, though somehow strained, was matched with a sickening malice. The strain was almost untranslatable when the demi-Saiyan's sixth sense read over the new monstrosity. He doubted he would have felt the sensation if the creature hadn't been standing a few feet away. It was a faint shadow, as if something vital was missing, a weak ache of detachment.

The most astounding thing with this "strain" was the fact that Okiri could identify with it.

_How could we ever hope to destroy something like this? There's no limit on its power…_

((Maybe we were never meant to destroy it.))

This new Buu – for he assumed it _was_ a Buu, the resemblance in appearance and ki signature was striking – was on the move again as soon as the original one had emerged from the rocks. The pink Buu shoved the rest of the way out, meeting its assaulter with a blocking arm. Then they were both off into the sky, exchanging blow for blow, anticipating each attack and countering with their own. They were perfectly matched.

_Where did it come from?_

_ Whatever it is, it obviously doesn't like the original Buu… And they're trying to kill each other. Which one do I side with?_

He remained in his place on the beach, elbows resting on his knees. _Why side with either? I'll let them kill each other. _

((But he _healed_ us. You're going to let Buu die?))

_He healed us now, but before he nearly killed us,_ Okiri replied grimly. He was gradually becoming comfortable with this unknown entity. Now that he knew it wasn't Babidi – it couldn't possibly be, with Babidi dead and gone - he found that he could relax.

((He's done us a favor. He got rid of Babidi. And you're just going to let the creature that freed you go? You haven't changed at all.))

_You don't know me. And you certainly don't know Majin Buu…_

((I don't, but I…))

_Shut up! _You have no right! _You left me to die years ago, don't you dare try to tell me what to do now! _

And both of them became silent.

Okiri felt his conscious grow numb.

**_Juujen._**

-------------------------------

_Back again,_ Vegeta mused silently, eyeing the rocky crags that rose on either side of the narrow alleyway. _I hate this place._ _And yet, here I am for the rest of eternity… If Kakkarot screws up. _

"Oh, he will," Babidi pronounced, voice ricocheting off the sheer walls. "My Buu will take care of that."

"Don't you dare look at my mind," Vegeta snarled, kneeing the wizard in the back. "Just shut up and keep walking."

"Afraid of the truth, Prince?"

"_Be silent._"

And the toad obeyed… temporarily.

Too soon, his irritating voice had returned. "Don't you want to know where we're going?"

"You're going to your father."

Babidi's shoulders tightened with surprise.

"Some of us don't need mind-reading," he stated smugly.

-------------------------------

The earth shook as Majin Buu slammed into the beach, a plume of grit rising around him. The gray creature above him formed a sphere of wicked red ki, a smirk playing across his lips. Bibidi's original creation struggled out of the sand, antenna reaching forward and glowing with a candy-like pink. His eyes were narrowed with an uncanny anger.

Okiri stared, barely noticing that he had gotten to his feet.

((He's going to die.))

_Shut up already. _

Majin Buu had loosed his attack milliseconds before his adversary suddenly jerked, hit from behind by a flare of foreign energy. The "boy" held his hands out before him, expression grim – and Buu grinned in thanks. His gray doppelganger merely glanced over his shoulder in surprise; before he could look forward again, the pink ray had consumed him, ending his brief existence with a delusional sense of _shrinking_.

Buu paused for a minute, skin plumping to replace any areas that had been damaged by his enemy's blows. The new cookie lay in the sand a few meters away, still emitting a few puffs of smoke. He reached out to grab it… only to have it snatched up, inches from his reaching fingers.

He pouted at the boy.

"Mine, mine. I make…"

Gohan shook his head, frowning. "No, this is _bad_. This will make you sick." He ground the cookie within his fist, dropping the crumbs to the beach. "I can find some real food for you," he consoled upon the creature's next expression of utter misery, "but this would have been very bad to eat."

For a moment Buu continued to stare at the sad crumbs, but then these last words filtered in. "Find more?"

"Yeah, more," Gohan replied tiredly. "But Buu… You know you can't stay here. You're going to kill people, aren't you?"

It was more of a statement than a question.

Buu shook his head, laughing in his childish manner. "Why kill? Master say kill, but master no fun – I kill him. And evil me say kill, but he no fun either. You help me kill him."

"Evil you?"

Gohan took a half-step back when Buu reached forward; but the yellow-gloved hand was not shaped into a fist, but into a single pointing finger. He forced himself to remain still.

Buu carefully tapped a finger to one temple. "You like me. Black-" he tapped the other "-and white, yes?"

"Black and white…" he repeated dazedly.

"You like me," Buu surmised. "Evil me black, I get rid of evil me. He want me to kill, but he dead. He cookie. But you black and white don't kill, and even black don't kill. You _strange._"

_You aren't kidding_, Okiri muttered.

Majin Buu considered him for a moment. "I feel sorry for you. You not free. I free! Free!" The creature enunciated his words with a twirl, arms spread, cape flying. Gohan brought an arm up to protect his face from the offending material.

He felt his throat tighten.

((There are other matters at hand,)) Juujen reminded, and the pair regained themselves. Gohan grabbed a hold of Buu's cape, bringing the twirling creation to a halt. "Buu! Buu… You're the _good_ Buu, right? Not the bad Buu, the killing Buu."

"Yes. I good! I free!" The creature would have given another twirl, but the teenager retained his grip.

"Then you won't kill, will you?"

"Won't kill. Killing no fun. Food fun. Does killing bring food?"

"No, it doesn't. Buu… I have a deal for you."

-------------------------------

Motion swirled at the edge of his vision; Vegeta looked up sharply, finding nothing. The narrow walls of the valley made him uneasy; an ambush from above was far too easy to fall prey to in these narrow corridors.

Babidi stopped. A few feet ahead, the corridor widened, becoming a broad bowl – and a dead end. Vegeta scowled, but did not dare think of his doubt.

"We're here," the short creature stated with an edge of amusement.

A cloaked figure appeared between the Saiyan and his captive; its feminine face shone pale ivory beneath the hood as it shoved him backward, catching him unawares. He had backed up several paces before he regained his balance.

When he moved forward again, a painful shock rang through his body, electricity running in a blue sheen over the passageway. The cerulean coloration remained in the shape of a curved wall, blocking off both the female and Babidi.

Vegeta cursed.

-------------------------------

He had spoken too soon; the deal wasn't completely decided yet, simply a fuzzy idea in the back of his mind.

Fumbling for time, Gohan stepped away, heading down the beach to his little brother. Buu trailed after him with a confused expression.

"Deal for Buu? What deal?"

Stooping, Gohan reached out to gather up the unconscious child. Wet blood still shone on his palms; grimacing, he pulled away and faced Bibidi's creation.

Even though the blood was his own, it still made his stomach lurch.

Ignoring the vile sensation that his counterpart was quite oblivious to, Okiri offered meekly, ((I guess we'll just make it up as we go.)) (1)

Juujen groaned.

"So you're never going to kill anymore."

"No. Never."

"You know that killing is _bad_, right?"

"Yes. Bad." Buu fidgeted. "Deal, what deal for Buu?"

"Alright. If you never kill again, you can live here."

The creature paused. "Here? …What good here?"

"I can show you. I'll show you everything. But there's plenty of food, and you could live anywhere you want, with whoever or whatever you want. But before you do that, we have to convince everyone that you aren't bad anymore."

It seemed the prospect of food had caught him. Buu became still, focusing on him intently. "How we do that?"

"I'm not sure." Gohan remained silent a moment. The pudgy creation stood in waiting, head tilted vaguely off-center.

After what seemed an eternity to the impatient creature, the halfbreed spoke again. "If you go to Kami's Lookout and explain yourself, they'll probably accept it and let you stay. Even better, take Goten with you; a familiar face will help them listen more."

"Goten? Goten boy?" Buu motioned towards the unconscious child.

"Yes. If he wakes up along the way, just tell him that Babidi's dead and that he needs to come to the Lookout with you."

Tucking the limp boy under one arm, Buu nodded affably. "Okay. I do this. What you do?"

"I'll come meet you there. I've just got to take care of some things first." The demi-Saiyan glanced out to sea with a twinge of trepidation.

"You and boy will show me, yes? Show me all?"

"Yeah. As soon as I get back. Promise."

"Then I go, yes, I go… Yes. Which way Lookout?"

The comical words had no affect on the halfbreed; Okiri had Dende's energy pinpointed within seconds. The familiar ki was warm and reassuring as he focused on it, yet somehow foreign to them both; once they had the position, Okiri turned away. "Head northeast. Straight." Buu regarded him blankly. He jabbed a finger out to sea. "That way."

"I go. I go northeast. Straight. That way. I go, I go," the creature said cheerfully, beginning to walk towards the water.

"Buu," Gohan called softly, voice abruptly somber.

Child still under one arm, he turned to face the halfbreed. "Yes?"

"You said I was not free," Gohan said quietly, stepping closer. "Do you know how I can become free?"

"The dark, it is there. You not see. You see soon. I not know how you be free. You not free… You still come? Come northeast? Straight? That way?"

"I'll come," he replied solemnly. "Promise."

"Buu go. Buu stay there."

On an afterthought, the demi-Saiyan trailed a finger across his brother's forehead, pushing back a stubborn lock of hair; a crimson streak remained. He retracted his hand with a jerking motion.

Okiri's voice was calm. ((It's decided, then.))

Buu looked at him with a child's naïve concern; Gohan gave a phantom smile.

"Don't let anything happen to him, alright? Just make sure he gets to the Lookout. I'll be there."

"Buu go."

And he did. Gohan was alone.

-------------------------------

_There's something past that. I didn't fall because of the ki, it was… What did Piccolo say to me…?_

_ No… It wasn't Piccolo… It was the Supreme Kai…_

_ I was afraid. _

_ Of Babidi… I was afraid of Babidi. I thought he could take me. I thought I was evil… _

_ **What if I am? **_

The ocean continued to speed past beneath him, clouds whipping icy fingers across his face before giving way to clear skies once more.

_What if I am… But what if Gohan is dead… What if Gohan killed Goten. _

_ Do I kill him? Kill Gohan?_

The tremble had worked its way through his legs, his arms, even into his lower jaw, and he did not notice.

_I think I will… I think I have to. _

Buu's ki blazed freely ahead, nearby. And Gohan was right next to him, ki concentrated and reserved. No Goten. No Babidi.

My _Gohan is dead. That's what they want me to believe. And if my Gohan is dead… If Goten is dead… Then this Gohan must die, too. _

He squeezed his eyes shut.

_He must die. _

When he focused forward once more, his aura had shifted from white to a burning crimson.

-------------------------------

Vegeta slammed his shoulder against the wall again, and once more it shimmered and held firm, sending a bolt of pain down his spine.

It was no use.

"Babidi! Come back! What can you do from here, anyway? You're in _Hell!_ You can't do anything in Hell!"

There was no response. Arm limp at his side, Vegeta gave a final shout of frustration, "_Answer me!_"

Pressing his palms against the barrier, ignoring the pain, he began to speak in a softer, more desperate tone. "At least tell me. Is the gaki dead? Is he a jairai?"

To his surprise, Babidi appeared quietly on the other side of the barrier, regarding him with pale yellow eyes. "He is dead even if he does not realize it. As a gift to me, I will not waste him. I will show him his fate."

Vegeta pulled back slightly, vision hazing from the constant pain. Only the balls of his fingertips remained on the barrier. "Gift?"

"A powerful innocent soul fell into my father's hands – even better, he had lost the mark of the gods. No such thing has happened in the history of our clan; we had to alter our spells so we could control him."

The Saiyan was now completely separated from the barricade. It began to darken, obscuring the wizard further by every second. He stared at the toad-like wizard.

_Mark of the gods…_

"Ironic, isn't it? The gods damned their purest soul." Babidi's cruel grin was last to be hidden by the now-opaque wall.

The prince looked to his hands, which were reddened and numb. The tingling echo of pain continued to parade down his spinal cord.

_ Mark of the gods. _

Turning, he faced the open corridor with a new determination.

_I must see the Kai. _

-------------------------------

((I don't like lying to him,)) Juujen muttered. The dark half of Gohan's personality remained silent.

They had taken a seat a few meters away from the water line. The smell of salty ocean water was strong; he could practically taste the brine on the air.

((So we aren't free,)) Okiri thought.

((I don't understand. I thought… with Babidi dead…))

((Maybe we were never meant to be free.))

((But I want to be.))

_We want to be. _

An ache was reaching its way into his heart, penetrating farther than Babidi's sword could have. It was one that both knew could not be healed.

_Why can't we be free?_

_ Will we ever be free?_

The ocean air was making his eyes sting. Inhaling sharply, he looked away.

Will I ever be free? (2)

"**_No." _**

Gohan jerked in surprise at the voice. It was not on the air- it was in his head. It was Babidi.

Okiri recoiled in fear. ((No, no, _get away_…))

The teenager clambered to his feet as a sudden wind pushed against his back, fighting against the cool breeze of the ocean.

"**_I finally found you, your weakness. See where you are meant to be…"_**

The wind swirled about, a cyclone of sand and crumbs rising up and dancing before him. The halfbreed stared in horrified awe.

** "_A gift from myself to you, _retuiken." **

"No-!" he cried, taking a step back. ((_I am not a retuiken))_, Okiri sobbed silently, continuing the retreat. ((_I never meant it. Hurting them…_)) Juujen was simply observing, cold and oblivious.

((I never meant it.))

The cyclone dissolved, particles flashing forward, and a rush of white slammed into his conscious. When his vision cleared, the world becoming blue sky and clouds again, he was on his back.

Within the back of his mind, darkness curled, watching. Waiting.

Juujen finally understood. ((The dark. It's waiting for us.))

((It's always been here,)) Okiri replied with despair. ((It's always been waiting…))

The Saiyan's next words brought a shudder into Gohan's arms. ((We gave ourselves to him… We can never be free…))

Gohan moaned in sorrow.

**"_Get up." _**

_No, _Okiri and Juujen replied, voices strained and weak.

"**_GET UP."_**

He struggled to his feet, facing inland. His breath was haggard and strained.

((But we can fight…)) Okiri murmured halfheartedly. His counterpart did not reply. ((It's weak… We can fight…))

((I know.))

An image of Goten skirted their memory. Their promise to Buu echoed, the promise to show Buu everything… the promise to live. A lie. But it didn't have to be…

_We can be free. We want to be free. For Goten… We can be free, can't we?_

A shiver of resolve overcame the twin minds.

_We are not retuiken. We are innocent. You cannot touch us! _

They joined for that moment, thoughts and emotions one. Juujen faltered, however; he knew it was a lie, or believed it to be, and held back his strength from the call. Perhaps that was their downfall.

((And perhaps,)) Okiri thought, ((Perhaps we're already dead.))

For a moment their resistance was strong, and the darkness shrank, seething with rage.

Okiri dared to hope. Though he knew there was no reason to, just as Juujen did, he dared.

The crack that resounded from the vertebrae in his neck shattered even the darkness, leaving Gohan's mind in complete disarray; when he recovered, his cheek was already blooming crimson with irritation and pain honed by stark surprise was working its way into his lower jaw.

Juujen's thought was taut with regret. ((_Dad_…))

-------------------------------

Ludlu swiped a hand across his forehead; a sheen of sweat came with it. Even in the shade, the desert's heat was amazing. He could feel it reverberating from the dark, dry sand beneath his crossed legs.

Within seconds another trickle of sweat invaded his eye, making it sting. He gave an irritated sigh. "Saab… Why are we out here…"

"It's beginning to smell inside," his friend answered apathetically, leaning against the warm metal of the ship.

He frowned at the lackadaisical response, but said nothing.

"I'm waiting. Something tells me we should be out here," Saab finally stated with a small amount of guilt.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not lying."

Aloofness became aggravation. "Shut up and go get some food, Ludlu."

-------------------------------

Son Goku fixated a desolating glare of loathing upon his son, aura burning scarlet with his rage.

A myriad of emotions began to play across Gohan's face. Shock. Terror. Despair.

The final show of emotion caused Goku's aura to flicker imperceptibly, the slightest tendril of sanity regaining a hold among his blind wrath.

A single tear ran down his eldest son's cheek.

And the sanity was working its way in, screaming its revulsion. _What are you doing!? _

Gohan turned, fleeing into the sky.

Goku collapsed to the sand. A voice, reminiscent of the one in his dreams, was whispering in his mind, and he questioned if he had gone insane.

But the voice was so sad. He couldn't ignore its words.

((We'll never be free… we were never meant to be free…))

His hands were clenched so tight that thin crescents of blood began to run along the nails.

He sobbed into the uncaring earth.

-------------------------------

Finis

-------------------------------

(1)- Now that Okiri and Juujen are both present, this is how speaking in Gohan's mind will work:

When one of them are speaking, it will be contained in (()) rather than "". When both are speaking in tandem, it is _italicized_.

However, before the notation and Okiri's realization, it still works the same as in past chapters – Okiri _italicized_ and the "unknown entity" in ((double parentheses)).

(2)- When they are both speaking together, they sometimes say "we" and sometimes "I." Lady El' brought up the point that it'd be best to stick to one for continuity- however, there is a reason for it.

Since Okiri and Juujen have been apart for so long, they've developed separately- and no longer really feel connected as Gohan. Thus, when they think together in italicized, it is mostly just like two people talking in tandem, with a completely separate person behind each voice. Thus, they say "we." However, when they get _really_ deep into an emotion or thought, some connection still shows through and they use "I" rather than "we."

Ok, notes now finished. A revamping is probably in order for the earlier chapters - if anything just to make all the starts and breaks uniform - but lord knows what nightmares that would bring (especially conforming all the A/N to QuickEdit). When time is allotted, I will try. Until then, bear with me. It might be awhile.

A companion picture for this chapter can be found on my DeviantArt account (see my bio for the link). It's called "Reminisce".

Next Chapter (Maybe...):

_"You seem so..."_

_ "Saiyan?"_

Is this my final test, master? Then I wish to fail...

_"You hold no fear of the gods, do you?" _

_"Actually, I'm growing to despise them." _

Hope you all enjoyed. Leave a rant, note, flame, praise, whatever and I'll reply to it with the next chapter. Thank you for reading!


	25. Sepulchra

The rather delayed return, with Chapter 25... I really am sorry for how long this has taken, life decided to make this go veeeery slooowly.

Thanks to Lady Eldaelen, she did a wonderful job betaing! Made this chapter much, much better and caught all my retard moments!

I apologize ahead of time for random mistakes, like the disappearance of punctation at the end to a sentence or what have you - QuickEdit is being especially retarded today.

I also apologize for the breaks. I hate these breaks, personally, and being a neat freak I especially despise the spaces afterwards. I went through this twice just for the sake of the breaks (once to see if my own would work after being applied inside QuickEdit; the second time to install these godforsaken long breaks which I despise; and now, on my third revision, to fume as I observe all the spaces that have reappeared despite my painstakingly threading back through and fixing them) and I'm sorry about the spaces. Maybe they don't drive you crazy, but they drive me crazy, and I'm beginning to resent this QuickEdit crap more and more...

Ahem. Thank you for reading!

Last time on Kokuhaku...

_But the voice was so sad. He couldn't ignore its words._

_((We'll never be free… we were never meant to be free…))_

_His hands were clenched so tight that thin crescents of blood began to run along the nails._

_He sobbed into the uncaring earth._

* * *

Kokuhaku: Chapter 25  
Sepulchra

* * *

" 'Till death ends all surprises, said the Hive Queen."  
-Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card 

For a moment there was nothing... Only sand. The sound of the ocean... The dry heaves that shook his chest. For a moment, his mind was blank.

And then, with a burst of enterprise, thoughts began to spill forth, filling him with frustrations and confusions – they were begging, pleading with something. Anything.

He moaned softly, fingers entwining in stiff ebony hair and curling against his scalp.

_How could I do that… How could I… He looked…_

_**Alive**. _

His eyes, before held tightly shut in his personal nightmare, were suddenly wide open. He stared at the minute sand crystals that shifted subtly with each heave of exhalation.

_Shin… Piccolo… How could you lay this on me?_

_I can't do this to him. My son. Gohan. _

_I just… I just hit him… I just wanted to _kill_ him. _

_My Gohan. My son… _

_Why did it have to be him? Why can't it be like before? Why did it ever have to be complicated? _

_Why can't there be a black and a white- why can't there be a good and a bad? _

_Why must there be an in-between? _

_…Why must the in-between be my son?_

Searching for any redemption, his thoughts continued to strengthen, more and more ideas throwing themselves in. _I should have died in the Cell Games. I should have been the one protecting Gohan. I never should have let him protect me. Why did I do this? Why did I let Gohan die? Why did I stand by and watch as his life slipped away? _

_Why can't we change it, Supreme Kai? Why can't I be Babidi's slave? Why him? _

_Why did it ever have to be him… _

_I want it all to be over._ _I want… I want to be dead. I don't care if I lose. I don't care if I'm weak. If my hands are stained with my son's blood… I will never be able to forgive myself. _

_How could you lay this on me? How could you ever ask me to do this?_

_Or maybe you didn't – maybe I laid this on myself. _

_They all look at me like I'm so perfect, so innocent… but maybe I'm why Gohan is this way. Maybe I'm the reason Gohan is… dead._

_And if he's dead, there's no harm in getting rid of the empty shell, is there?_

The last thought surprised him – he wasn't sure where it had come from. But he cast aside this small doubt, allowing himself to return to the world once more.

When he got to his feet, the edges of his vision became blurry as a roar overcame his hearing. He paused, relishing in the sense of nausea that roiled at the back of his throat. Then it was gone and he felt two ki approach - Piccolo, the former Kami, and Shin, the current Supreme Kai.

An unexpected anger rose as he recognized the second ki. That was all he seemed to be today: unexpected. Different.

With a deft motion he allowed his ki to rise sharply, a wash of gold swiftly carrying away the moisture on his cheeks. He could do nothing about any redness in his eyes, but that would ebb soon. His ki subsided immediately; it was doubtful his approaching guests would ever notice it.

He settled into a kneeling position and waited.

* * *

Silent shudders rippled through his muscles as he flew. The shadow either ignored the quivers or could not sense them; Okiri watched them with a keen yet exhausted eye, taking note of where and when for each. It was a way to keep himself sane, noticing these dull and useless details. 

((This is the end, isn't it?))

Juujen must have heard him, but ignored him. The silence clearly replied that this was a useless statement.

The Saiyan sighed, feeling despair pull him ever closer to the shadow. He did not jerk away as the darkness reached out all the farther, beckoning him; Juujen turned to him, silent and intent. After a brief period of observation, the human persona said, ((Do you know where we are going?))

((I don't care,)) Okiri replied callously. ((I'd rather die than continue on like this.))

**_"Your wish shall be granted,"_** the shadow whispered. Gohan's flight path deviated suddenly as Juujen shuddered.

Okiri remained impassive, or pretended to be. He unconsciously recalled the rush of pain when Goku had struck them and took a step closer to the darkness. The words he spoke were to himself alone. _My fear of you, it is fading. I could be one with it. The shadow. The dark. I _am _darkness, am I not? _

Aloud he uttered, ((So be it.))

* * *

The first words to spill from Goku's lips were harsh- "What are you doing here?" 

Piccolo ignored the hostility as Shin took on a look of detached surprise.

"There's blood on your face," the Namekian stated calmly. "Whose?"

The Saiyan stood fully, brushing against the liquid in question- a few smears dotted across his forehead. A collection of semi-circle incisions, long forgotten, stood out brightly on Goku's palms as he looked at them. His response was simple. "Mine." Though reduced in severity, his tone remained acrid.

"The Supreme Kai and I," said Piccolo with notable distaste, "decided to come help you." His eyes flickered to the horizon. "Did you meet Gohan?"

"Yes," Goku replied coldly. "Babidi is dead and Buu was gone when I got here. Gohan retreated after I ambushed him. Goten wasn't here. He's either with Buu or he's dead."

A slight fracture gleamed in Shin's stoic expression – he blinked, obviously surprised. Goku musingly attempted to imagine what his superior was thinking. _How could a father be so cold? What a barbarian… He's just a Saiyan in the end, just another Vegeta. _

A silent chuckle formed in the back of his mind.

_Good old Goku, a heartless murderer after all. _

"I'm going after him," said Piccolo, expression lax. He stepped towards Goku and in passing whispered, "I want to be here as much as you do. However, if you are to become _this_ – I am to become your enemy." The Saiyan's reply was a blandly curious look, nothing more and nothing less.

Shin fidgeted with slight unease as the Namekian abandoned the beach.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, the earthling's impassive gaze weighing down on his shoulders, the Supreme Kai stepped away. He was beginning to utter some weak excuse – "I had better…" – but Goku cut him off with a disturbing calm.

"How long will you use us, Supreme Kai?"

"I'm not using you," he replied with sudden hostility. "I'm not some psychotic wizard… I'm not controlling your minds. I'm asking for your help."

"Really?" asked Goku, impassive.

Shin waited quietly for further words - when none came, a silent frown crossed his face, dark eyes glittering.

"I still don't trust you, you know," said the Saiyan with false cheer. "You've been taking advantage of us all along. Letting us die so that you can win the good fight. Which is all we're good for, right?" He laughed. "That doesn't sound too nice, does it? Taking advantage is such a crude term. But if you weren't using, then why didn't you come before? There were four years that you could have warned us, after you saw Babidi and my son. But you waited until the very day of their attack to clue us in, as if you wanted us to fail."

The Supreme Kai studied him closer. _Did I tell him when I met Babidi?_

_...Maybe earlier. _

"And if you wanted us to fail, Kami knows why, then it won't be harmful if I step down, right? So what if I refuse to fight? What if I am the loser of this round? Then you can't use me, can you?"

The reply was bitter. "No. I cannot."

"Then I suppose I will have to fight him."

Shin gave a slim gesture of surprise.

"Well, either way, it all boils down to this: he can die or the entire universe can die. And sadly, I always seem to choose the latter." Goku gave Shin a brief pat on the shoulder, smiled dimly, and turned away.

"From what I have read, you are a true Saiyan," the Supreme Kai called after him. His next comment was softer, so as not to be heard. "A creature of two faces – on one, the perfect peacekeeper. And on the other… You are still a cold murderer."

"Yes, I am the perfect Saiyan, aren't I?" Goku replied sardonically, still facing away. "But if I'm a cold murderer, what does that make you? A Babidi in disguise?" At these last words, he returned his gaze to Shin, smiling darkly. "It's just manipulators and the manipulated. You happen to be on the better side in this battle."

"What is this?" Shin demanded harshly. "You were not this way before. Why are you acting like this?"

And again, he turned away, beginning to head down the beach. "I'm trying to think the way Vegeta would. But you don't remember him, do you? He wasn't useful enough. Died too early."

Shin frigidly tossed aside this comment, though the words obviously stung; Goku noted this calmly, surreally.

_Am I still thinking like Vegeta? Or am I really saying these vicious things? _

_What does it matter...?_

He looked down the beach again. When he reverted his gaze back, the Supreme Kai had disappeared.

_I'm going to stand on this beach, and I'm going to debate- should I kill, or not? And either way, I have to choose the universe over my son. The greatest sacrifice. And the only way to do this… _

He kneeled at a patch of sand stained with a heavy crimson and rank with the metallic odor of blood.

A faint whisper of the past came to him. Something Piccolo had said. Shouted.

_"…We told you, but you wouldn't listen to us! Well, maybe you'll hear this – your son's dead, Goku! He's _**dead!**_" _

He smirked.

_That's what I should, and will, believe._

Tracing a finger through the crimson sand, he looked to the sky.

_I know how to do this, quite well. Just let go of all my doubts. _

The smirk remained.

_Abandon everything. Ignore everything. And become **a Saiyan**…_

Goku silently closed his eyes.

When he opened them once more, they were empty.

* * *

Another patch of weak stone gave way underneath his grip. The shattered slivers fell away, crashing into the rocky soil farther below. The oni standing at the bottom of the cliff snorted, brushed irritably at his horns, and glanced up. Nothing was near the ledge ten feet above. 

Snorting again to clear the dust, the oni began to stride away.

Vegeta's body tensed as his prey began to escape. _If I don't grab this one I'll have to wait 20 minutes for the next oaf – but…_ He glanced around for any passerby. Though he had heard footfalls sheer seconds before, it was now silent save for the oni's movement.

_Take it now…!_

He levered his body up with his arms, ending up in a kneeling position on the very edge of the rock face. One well-placed jump and he would have the oni pinned against the opposing rock wall, free to gather any information he needed.

He gathered himself for the final leap. Fingers readjusting to get the maximum grip. Feet curling over the rocky edge.

And – just as he felt that twinge of finality, just as he began to shove off – a gruff voice called from behind, "Hey." Panicking on some base level, he swiveled, grace the only thing keeping him from falling backwards over the ledge.

A wizened gnome stared at him.

Settling back onto his rear, he fingered the ledge again.

The gnome blinked.

It (_she_, he corrected) had a strange witch's outfit, and hair even more violet than his son's. The she-gnome scowled over clasped hands, rear seated firmly on a humming crystal orb.

"Baba. That _is_ you, right?" He whispered harshly. "I don't know what the hell you're doing here-"

"I work here," the witch replied coldly – and too loudly. Vegeta glanced over his shoulder. The oni was gone.

"Now I have to wait for another one," the Saiyan spat, voice raised to a normal level.

"Another one for what?"

He almost answered, but caught himself. Instead, he looked her over cautiously. "Nothing."

"You were going to try to escape Hell, correct? To find out what Babidi meant. You were going to find out from the guards how to get out of here."

Vegeta didn't reply.

"An unexpectedly noble thing, from you. You've been nothing but noble today. It's making me nervous," said Baba. "Well, don't mess with any of our guards. I'll take you to the North Kai."

"Why?" he demanded. The witch had begun to levitate higher, heading towards the clouds. He took to the air to follow.

Baba did not seem surprised by his question. "Because I don't agree with it, either. Grab hold before we pass through the clouds, unless you'd like to be doused with blood."

He obeyed wordlessly, but kept a suspicious gaze on the witch simultaneously. _That idiotic Kai had better give me clearer answers than this. _

The clouds were dry and odorless, no different from the air of H.F.I.L.; as soon as he passed through, a pleasant taste came to the atmosphere, the temperature adjusting to a pacifying warmth. He found he preferred the dry heat of the Underworlds.

Silent, he followed his guide to the residence of the North Kai.

* * *

Piccolo didn't quite know what to make of this anymore. 

The sea below abruptly gave way to mountains and forests, and brought with it clouds of cooled moisture which had gathered at the mountain crests. He lowered his altitude to avoid the sight-inhibiting fog.

He was still trying to decide what had been more surprising in the day's events: the arrival of the Supreme Kai, the return of his dead student, or Goku's abrupt change into a cold intellectual. Moreover, he was trying to decide which event was more troublesome.

It stung to label the return of Gohan as 'troublesome,' and he regretted this thought, but how else could he describe it? 'Traumatic' was the only better word. He was having difficulty remaining detached from this, with old emotions running strong for the first time in years. Seven years of silence. And now, the one whom had filled the silence before was back. Shouldn't he be happy?

He would be if so many troubles didn't accompany Gohan's arrival. The great change of Son Goku being one. The creation of indecision among the fighters and a growing resentment of the Supreme Kai being the others.

And, most of all, a sense of fear within himself: the child was in pain. The child was scared, and alone. This was never supposed to be… Not while he was around.

Again he chastised the old instincts and emotions that were rising. The "child" was stronger than himself, and very likely to kill him. The child was a child no more. Gohan was a formidable stranger, of no relation to the eleven-year-old whose grave lay in the nearby mountains.

His target dropped to the ground.

_This place? _He thought with surprise.

Gohan had landed early; nearly three hundred yards still lay between him and his obvious goal.

The home of Son Goku lay a quarter of a mile away from the meadow that they were now approaching. The meadow had always been popular with the males of the Son family, for reasons Piccolo understood and didn't simultaneously. It was quiet and beautiful, but no more quiet and beautiful than the rest of the forest. There was obviously something in the lone pine tree, or maybe the creek which skirted the edge of the soft grass, that attracted them more than the silent, towering trees of the forest.

Gohan plowed his way through the underbrush, stumbling here and there. The light of the tired sun reached through pine needles and oak branches, flowing over the shivering teenager's dirt-streaked arms and blood-soaked torso.

Piccolo kept his distance. Watched, waited. Always a hundred yards back. The halfbreed had given no notice of him yet, though he doubted that he hadn't been sensed already. He was being silent, as always, but he was not being stealthy. There was no use in sneaking up, seeing as even an ambush would barely faze him.

But then again…

The teenager paused a moment, falling against a nearby tree. He held his face in his hands and remained that way for over a minute. After watching tersely, Piccolo began to wonder if this was the end of his student.

And then Gohan lurched forward again, using one arm to lever himself away from the tree. Piccolo took up pursuit.

_What am I doing here? _he questioned softly, scowling_. What can I do, when I have no idea what's going on?_

_Maybe that's what I'm here for – to find out what is going on. To discover the truth, not the Supreme Kai's half-lies or Babidi's arrogant boasts. _

_Gohan_, he thought desperately, _you were alive once – are you now?_

The teenager's path took a sharp bend; now a thick oak stood between himself and his target.

With Gohan so close, the ki was confusing and spastic. It ghosted across his sixth sense, here and there, separate and united simultaneously. So when he found himself abruptly face-to-face with the halfbreed, he wasn't entirely surprised. He spread his feet, preparing futilely for any assault.

Then his student opened his eyes, and all cautions and concerns disappeared from the Namekian's mind.

It was not matching eyes with Goku, eyes full of warm competitive humor or – so long ago he couldn't even remember – cold, calm determination. Nor was it Goten/ full / deep curiosity.

Gohan's eyes fell through, dragging him deeper, past iris and pupil and into some endless abyss he had never dreamt of. Something close, freezing and burning, whispering in his ear; a sea of glass beneath his feet; odd sentiments of panic and hopelessness, two things he had never felt, wreaking havoc on his stomach and throat.

This was not him. It was someone else. Something else. Piccolo felt himself begin to seize up, the motions of the living world fading away. A blurry haze of memories, some not his own, was interfering with his vision. Past words working their way into his mind.

"_Stop it! That's **enough!** Tell them to **stop it!**_"

"You're wrong about your son…"

The black-haired toddler jerked out of the frigid water, more surprised than hurt, gasping for air. The brat was definitely awake now... He cleared his throat gruffly.

"Shin, please, Shin…"

((Keep talking? It's all I ask…))

"He's not a fighter like you!"

Gohan was sitting in a shadowed hallway, covered in something black... Or was it red? Dripping onto the floor, everywhere, all over him...

Was that blood?

((We were… wrong…))

"I don't want you to leave. Veggie did and I want you to stay…"

A stranger brushed past, flanked by two pale bodybuilders. They were soon absorbed by the crowd. He stirred, curious. Something was off about that one - he couldn't tell...

"Why do you… follow Babidi?"

"No! No, it's a lie! He doesn't _want_ to! _Please!_"

Gohan smiled uneasily. "We can do this, Piccolo." Trying to be confident.

He gave a half-smile in response, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked to the waiting arena. _I think you might... _

"Do you want to know what he is thinking? He's not thinking about strength… or competition! He's wondering why his father is standing there, _letting him die!_"

((I can't… _breathe_…))

"I'd rather die than wait."

And over it all was the soft cries of a young child. They were almost indiscernible among the jumbled memories.

Something was dragging him out of the past, perhaps Kami or Nail – a whisper of his true mission. He stretched forward for it, anywhere, searching for any connection. _Gohan – where are you? Are you here? Alive? _

A pale figure danced briefly across his vision. It was gone in a millisecond, impossible to pick up.

**_Gohan! _**

Faint laughter of darkness and insanity nipped at him.

A rough voice said, ((Is this my final test, master?)) It laughed, brief and harsh. Hopeless. Dark. Insane. ((Then I wish to fail!))

And another voice, soft and scared. ((Master… Master, let us go.))

Speaking to him. The first one wasn't. The second one was.

He knew what he was being told to do, but he lingered, despondent...

_I don't know if I can do that. _

The voices and sensations abruptly ceased; he was left isolated, alone in his own mind. The abrupt change was enough to bring unconsciousness.

* * *

Vegeta wasted no time in formalities. As soon as his feet touched the grass he haughtily barked, "I hear you have something to tell me." The grave disrespect elicited a groan of disgust from Baba, but the insect-like North Kai barely moved an antennae. Such words were probably expected of the prince. 

"And you have something to hear," his consultant replied sagely. This was not expected. In fact, though this was his first time seeing the Kai in person, he had never heard him so serious.

So there was something going on that made even the corniest grave.

He became tense.

"So what is the Mark of the Gods?" Vegeta inquired after a long period of silence. The North Kai nodded calmly, antennae bobbing.

"I don't think it is necessary to start there. No, it is easier to start with my death."

"What else is there to know?" said the prince, impatient. "Kakkarot pushed Cell to your planet, he exploded, you died. It came back and stronger than ever – the whole thing was a complete waste."

The Kai scowled, but otherwise ignored the remark. "After I died, there was a meeting among the four Kai – North, South, East, West – and the Grand Kai. He was demanding that Goku be punished for my death. I protested, of course, because it was not ill will that had brought Cell to my planet, and I died for a good cause, I suppose. Well, I pointed out that Son Goku couldn't be killed or otherwise, he was far too important for Earth's protection and no one would be able to step up and take his place. You were not his equal at the time and Gohan, the strongest of you all, probably couldn't handle such responsibilities. Ah… Maybe I should explain the mark after all."

Vegeta grunted irritably, aggravated by the Kai's silencing.

"All innocent souls, after a certain progression in life, are rare. A soul is deemed truly 'innocent' if no intentional or unwarranted malice is shown before reaching adulthood. Of course, adulthood is judged by the mind, not the body… Gohan was, by layman's terms, an adult at 10."

_Kakkarot still has a long way to go, _Vegeta thought idly.

"The 'Mark of the Gods' is Babidi's way of describing an immunity we gods automatically place upon all innocents to protect them from dark magic. All children possess it until they commit a 'malicious' act – you haven't had it since 3, Vegeta – and a choice few retain it all their lives. However, sometimes the Kai are forced to intervene and remove the mark as punishment. Mostly, in a case where an innocent commits an act that wasn't malicious in itself, but was damaging to others.

"Of course, dark magic is very rare nowadays. Babidi's the only one I've seen using it in centuries. So most of the time, people don't notice the mark; the chances of an adult innocent running into a dark magic user are infinitesimal," said the Kai.

"And Gohan doesn't have it, obviously," Vegeta replied dryly. "So what did you Kai do? Kill him in his sleep? Drain the life from him while he lay in his father's arms?"

"Goku and Goten possess the mark. So does Trunks, ironically," the Kai continued in his unconcerned manner. "Back to the Grand Kai. He was insisting on some sort of punishment. _I_ didn't want anything to do with it, but no one would listen to me. Thought I was delusional with being killed or something. Well, I think I was the only one thinking clearly at the time…"

"What excuse do you have for killing Kakkarot's boy?" Vegeta interrupted coldly. The Kai studied him for a moment, silent, and then continued his explanation.

"I had said that Gohan would not be able to replace his father. So they decided that they'd punish Gohan, instead; this way, Goku would suffer but still be able to protect Earth. And Gohan they regarded as collateral, I suppose. At the time Gohan was unlucky enough to be the one Goku had the strongest emotions for. It was also an opportunity to render punishment without making it completely obvious that we had done it… We've had problems with vengeful family members in the past. Well, the moment was ripe since Gohan was still so weak from the fight." Disdain had slowly crept into his voice, until the final statement was practically dripping with hate. "Grand Kai and the others helped along and drained the rest of his energy, finally killed him on the Lookout."

"So this is how you repaid an innocent savior?"

The Kai seemed surprised by the remark, but again chose to ignore it. "As further punishment, they removed his mark. But they didn't even stop there. They wanted to make sure that Earth's Eternal Dragon wasn't going to bring him back, so 'somehow' Bibidi found his way out of his containment area in H.F.I.L. and 'somehow' a ruckus started. I believe the original plan was to have the riot to distract Gohan, and then accidentally get him stuck in Hell. Or maybe Heaven, if he were lucky. There are so many places for a soul to get entangled here.

"The plan went too far, and Bibidi killed him. The Grand Kai was surprised, but Bibidi was captured again and everything went back to relative calm. As far as they were concerned, it was all over. Punishment rendered."

"And you never let on, did you? Not to Kakkarot or any of them."

"It's a talent of mine," King Kai answered.

"So Kakkarot mistakenly sends a being about to kill us all towards you, and his son is enslaved for it?"

"If Goku had simply died with it, nothing would have been done," North Kai replied. "Gohan would probably be some dazzling fighter by now, Babidi would have been fended off easily, and Goku would be having a peaceful respite in Heaven."

"And I'm sure he was weighing these decisions as he faced the extinction of his home."

"Just a pointless hope of mine."

"So the boy is alive. Right now. Imprisoned in his own mind."

"Not imprisoned, right now. He's been struggling with it all day. Doesn't conform well to the ideals of a raging lunatic, apparently."

The Kai watched with interest as Vegeta's fists began to clench, grow tenser, tenser, until the very bones could be seen through his gloves, and then completely let go. Relax. Breathe.

"You care very highly about this," he noted calmly, glancing back up to the Saiyan's face. It was dark, but relatively stoic. "But you barely even know the boy. You despised each other."

"It's more the idea," he replied, a low growl adding untold fierceness to his voice. "I'm just not fond of this idea – a child dying for the error of his father? It's not entirely fair, is it?"

"It's more about Babidi, I think. Being controlled. Am I correct?"

"I care very highly about this because Kakkarot is falling apart. And I have not spent the last seven years of my life training for my rival to fall apart. I'm going to kill him someday, and killing an emotional wreck holds little to no interest for me."

"Is that all?"

"I am also simply giving the argument that Kakkarot wouldn't." Vegeta paused, eyes roaming. Finally he stilled and smirked. In two steps, he was in front of the Kai's ape; in an even shorter time, he had it dangling by the neck from his hand. The choking ape babbled in panicked confusion, squirming.

Baba gave a soft gasp; the Lord of the Worlds frowned.

The dead Saiyan smirked. "So I can kill this thing, can't I?"

"It's already dead," King Kai replied in his nasal voice.

The smirk faded. "So was the gaki."

"You're presenting a decent fight," the North Kai responded. "You have outdone Goku by far." And then, suddenly becoming intent, the Kai stepped forward. "You hold no fear of the gods, do you?"

Vegeta scowled and tightened his grip. But just as the ape's squeals were fading, he released the creature, allowing it to drop to the ground. It remained on its back for a minute, dazed.

Charcoal eyes leveled on the pale-skinned god. "Truthfully, I'm beginning to resent them."

"I have told you all I can tell, Vegeta," he said. "And I am sorry for what has happened. What will you do now? Will you remain here until you are brought back to life?"

He grimaced in disgust. "I'd rather return to Hell. There, murderers are proud of what they have done – they don't mask it with weak lies."

"So pride is better than shame."

"I am not in the Underworld for being humble."

With a nod and a sigh, the Kai consented. "Your nature will not change, I suppose. Baba can return you there."

Vegeta seemed to have no argument left. Eyes still icy with hate, he turned away. But as Baba began to levitate past he turned back, an indescribably / indescribable / expression dancing between down-turned mouth and resentful glare. "You were wrong, you know."

The Kai's response was a twitch of the antennae.

"Gohan could have replaced Goku. He could've done a better job here."

"You would give up your rival?" King Kai asked with mild surprise.

His statement was ignored. Vegeta turned away again. The Lord of the Worlds looked to the ground. _I know._

"Your morality is scaring me again," Baba rasped as the palace of the Grand Kai grew smaller beneath their feet. The dead warrior snorted in reply.

* * *

_Does he realize the price of this?_

_We came back before... _

The human glanced back again. There Okiri stood, the darkness so close that his black eyes seemed all the blacker. The darkness was unnatural, an abrupt opaque barrier where meek halftones should be. But it was not solid. As he watched, it slowly crept forward, growing all the closer to the Saiyan component of Gohan's mind. Almost touching him.

He focused ahead once more, uneasy. _But I don't think we'll come back this time._

**_"Descend," _**the darkness hissed, making Juujen flinch. He barely felt it as he hit the ground. Something was wrong - it was as if his nerves were malfunctioning. He couldn't quite sense when his feet were on the earth. It was as if... As if parts of his control were disappearing.

As he landed, he looked to his hands, to see if he could still control those accurately. They were still covered in blood, most of it dried. He dropped them in disgust.

Stumbling forward, he managed to catch himself by grasping a nearby tree. His fingers barely felt the rough bark.

An inane fear had begun to work its way into him.

Vaguely, he began to recognize certain trees around them. There was a clearing ahead through the trees, he knew that much. But what was in the clearing? It was...

_"Why doesn't it burn?"_

...Of course.

Okiri had realized it, as well.

The Saiyan whirled upon the darkness, grinning darkly. ((So this is where you take us to die. Fitting, isn't it?))

It didn't respond.

Juujen could just begin to make out the brighter meadow beyond the next stand of trees. The mutter of a creek was nearby, too, meaning they were on the east edge. Meaning right behind them was home...

For a moment he couldn't let go of that thought. He wanted to turn and run. But of course, the darkness would see all of this. With a jolt, he realized something. He paused, holding his face in his hands - Gohan's body mirrored the action. Juujen smiled.

_You cannot see this._

When he whirled, the darkness was reaching a questing tendril towards him. It jerked back under his gaze like a slapped child. Okiri looked to him with an eyebrow raised but said nothing.

((So why don't you just kill us now,)) Juujen demanded, mirroring his companion's former grin. ((Why wait for all the drama? Or are you still the same ignorant fool, Babidi?))

As the human had predicted, Okiri caught on immediately. Their cold relations a moment before seemed to be forgotten.

Smirking, the Saiyan returned to the darkness as well. ((You've always waited for the ideal moment, but it never really came, did it? And it's a little late now, you being dead and all. You have to hide out in a slave's mind just to keep that illusion of power. What if you _have_ no power? What if you're just a lost little soul, hiding from the big scary reaper?))

The darkness recoiled, wavering slightly. Juujen could see it wasn't uncertainty, though, or fear. It was anger... And it was his cue.

Keeping as quiet as possible, he went to work.

((So how do you prove you're real?)) asked Okiri boldly. ((And not just some shadow?))

**_"Why don't you come in and see?" _**replied the darkness.

That was answer enough for the Saiyan. But he did not become serious; retaining his ironic smile, he said, ((And what do you plan to do with this body after we're gone?))

**_"It won't matter to you anymore." _**If it could grin, it was now, letting a wave of cold mirth fall over them. Juujen shuddered at the distraction but quickly recovered.

((That's true. So there's no point in fighting anymore, is there?))

Juujen paused in his search, looking up. _He doesn't intend to go that far, does he?_

He soon realized the truth. It stung, but it brought a weak smile to his face. _But that's the only way, isn't it? _

He returned to work.

The darkness had begun to look towards Juujen. Okiri smirked vaguely. _It may look like a little kid staring at the floor to him, but he's doing much more than that... And with any luck it'll work._

_It had better work. _

But it wasn't going to just look at Juujen for long. The Saiyan took a step forward, drawing the shadow's attention immediately.

((So did you read our memories to find this place, knowing that we'd be vulnerable here?))

Juujen looked up.

Something nearby...

((You knew this was the perfect place to ruin us completely. All along you've been testing us, to see where we are the weakest. And now you've found it. The fitting place for our death...))

The human fell back, surprised, and glanced over his shoulder.

_...Piccolo!_

But the darkness hadn't noticed, and neither had Okiri. They didn't feel the extra presence...

_If Babidi sees, who knows what he'll do... _

Panicking, Juujen looked to Okiri.

_Say the right thing. Say it now. Say it, say it... _

The darkness pulled forward, questing.

((Is this our final test, master?)) Okiri shimmered in the mind's eye, submerged in an aura of pain and dread quietly intermingled with submission. He bowed his head, chuckling dangerously. ((Then I wish to fail!))

For a terrifying moment Juujen thought the darkness would leap right then and consume the Saiyan standing inches away. But it remained where it was, and Okiri continued to stare it down, grinning madly.

Juujen felt a sudden ache. _You're not pretending anymore... _

And then he returned to the matter. After stumbling over his thoughts momentarily, he finally managed to whisper, ((Master... Master, let us go.))

It was what the weak mind would say, or at least he hoped so. And Piccolo would notice. Hopefully understand.

But the presence lingered, hovering near the edge of their mind.

_Any longer and he'll see you. Idiot, move away from here-! _

Juujen shoved against the entity, and Piccolo abruptly disappeared. When he looked up, the Namekian had disappeared from their line of vision, as well.

He fought back his desperate sorrow. _I'm sorry..._

Only one thing left to do.

A wave of surprise slammed into him, nearly bowling him over with its strength. It was Okiri.

He whirled about and began to step towards his counterpart. But that was before he registered what had happened.

The darkness had wrapped a tendril around the Saiyan's arm, holding him in place. Okiri tried to pull out of the grip, but it would not give.

Juujen froze.

_This is it._

**_"Let you go? But you're much too close now." _**

Okiri pulled back again, and again... Juujen watched helplessly.

**_"How is it to be back in the same position, Okiri? That desperation returning? Feel like collapsing again?"_**

The Saiyan stilled.

**_"I probably could have taken you then, dear Saiyan... Just as I can take you now... All those times that you fell apart."_**

((What is he talking about?)) asked Juujen uneasily.

Okiri stayed silent, looking to the floor now.

**_"I doubt I've seen anything so pathetic since."_**

((Shut up,)) the Saiyan whispered fiercely.

**_"You really are just a weak thing. Never able to fight me off. No... You're _terrified _of me, aren't you?" _**

((Shut up!)) Okiri cried, striking out with his free hand - it was absorbed by the dark. He let his head fall, body shaking. ((Leave me alone!))

Juujen stepped back. The fear and pain rushing from his counterpart was nearly overwhelming, and it was all he could do to stay self-aware in it all.

_One last thing... _

_What has happened to you, Okiri?_

((S-sorry,)) he stammered, unable to remain silent. ((I'm sorry, I'm sorry...))

Okiri looked to him. The mad grin was gone. He was pale... tired... scared. But he smiled weakly.

_You had better have this finished, _he would have said. _Your stupid plan had better work. _

Instead the darkness flexed. Okiri doubled over, arms freed, and gave a short scream of pain. The resulting surge of emotion bowled Juujen over entirely.

**_"You're much too close now..."_**

((But I have something,)) Okiri gasped, teeth gritted. ((And that's more than I had before.))

His next words were unintelligible. Still flat on his back, Juujen jerked as something fled past him; it had disappeared before he could identify it.

He laughed desperately. ((This is how far we have to go...))

The darkness surged forward.

Juujen leapt to his feet, fleeing from the advancing darkness. But it stopped before he had gone far.

Okiri was gone...

And the darkness was looking at him.

Okiri was gone. He was alone.

He had never felt this before...

But with Okiri gone, a deep desperation bit into him, something he couldn't shake off. Gasping with shock, he turned to Gohan's vision.

Cold, calculating eyes - black as his own.

_S-Supreme Kai. _

_This is the end for us, then..._

The darkness could probably hear his thought, but he found he didn't care. The desperation grew stronger.

((I can't believe this is happening,)) he sobbed quietly. And then, steadying himself, he looked into the Supreme Kai's eyes.

((Supreme Kai... I have one last thing to tell you. I just hope you can see...))

And he let his work go. The darkness did not overwhelm him, this time; a blinding light, void of any emotion, collided with him and propelled him backwards - into the dark.

_I didn't really want this to happen, _he gasped as the world faded, _but I guess it did.

* * *

_He had only been back for a few minutes when harsh laughter echoed from the other side of the barrier, bringing a sense of dread to his stomach.

A foreign sensation swept across him, vision temporarily claimed by something he had never seen before. And a child's voice... _"I guess it did."_

Vegeta slammed a fist against the opaque barrier and felt the familiar sting. He fell to the ground, overcome by this bizarre sensation. He couldn't shake it off...

An image of the Supreme Kai overtook him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, and the underworld shook with his cry.

**_"What have you done?" _**

Only silence answered.

* * *

Shin stepped back, shaking slightly with exertion. _I've done it - Babidi's gone... _

The teenager lay still. He had fallen to the earth shortly after his arrival. It was strange - the Majin had just looked at him at first, then suddenly stumbled back, as if in fear, and fallen over an unearthed root. And there he had lain, offering no resistance...

He had done his work. Now Goku could cease his psychotic rampage.

With any luck, his attack had broken Babidi's ties, too, and would let loose what remained of Gohan's soul - if there was anything left. If not, the body would probably perish in a few minutes.

Feeling rather relieved, the Supreme Kai stepped around the halfbreed and headed into the open meadow. The sun had fallen low on the horizon, but there was probably time left before it would set entirely. An hour, maybe more...

He wondered what he would do about Kabito, and returning home. It was a shame about Kabito...

Something splashed in the creek behind him. Curious, he turned, thinking that the Namekian had perhaps regained consciousness.

That was another strange thing, finding Piccolo...

Shin stilled.

Goku's eldest son smiled darkly, right arm outstretched. Towards him.

"Thank you, Supreme Kai. You were worth something after all..."

A small, pale sphere sparked into life in the proffered palm. It then grew, doubling and tripling in size while Shin watched on in horror.

"You've been a great help."

The Majin smiled.

* * *

_I showed you a good day, Son Goku. A day when his resolve remained. I could not bear to show you the others – the days when he was shattered, nothing, without mind or heart, so horrified by those things around him and those things that he had done that he could not move. Those days when even Babidi had difficulties among the darkness, even the master of torment could not gather this ravaged soul together and bid it to function. He nearly died so many times. He _was _dead for so long. _

_A Kai is to be impassive. But even I, a rootless soul, am tormented by these images. I will not burden you with them. What would you have done with this knowledge? Could it have been a defining factor in this battle?_

_I am sorry. there is so little that I may do.

* * *

_Finis

* * *

Again, I'm sorry for any random mistakes, changes, whatever. QuickEdit has somehow managed to become even more retarded... I don't even want to press the "preview" button for fear of what it will delete this time. This time being the third time that I've gone through fixing what it's deemed "unimportant." 

I honestly and truly despise this program at times... Mostly being whenever I use the damned thing...

Review responses can be found on my Livejournal, as usual. Look at my author page for the link. You'll probably have to copy the basic part (www.livejournal...) and paste it in the address bar, seeing as among its many charming qualities QuickEdit has decided to delete some essential slash marks within the link.


	26. Unspeakable

Back again—

Happy Birthday, KH!

Two years and 26 chapters… and it still isn't finished. Ok, well, the next chapter shall be the last. We'll see how that goes, and hopefully I'll have it finished soon.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I no own DBZ, or Dante Alighieri, though I doubt he really minds considering the fact he's been dead for about a thousand years…

Last Time…

_"It's just manipulators and the manipulated. You happen to be on the better side in this battle." _

Am I still thinking like Vegeta? Or am I really saying these vicious things?

What does it matter...?

_((Master… Master, let us go.))_

I don't know if I can do that.

_"You hold no fear of the gods, do you?"_

_Charcoal eyes leveled on the pale-skinned god. "Truthfully, I'm beginning to resent them."_

_"I'd rather return to Hell. There, murderers are proud of what they have done – they don't mask it with weak lies." _

**

* * *

Kokuhaku: Chapter 26  
Unspeakable

* * *

**"If the radiance of a thousand suns   
Were to burst at once into the sky  
That would be like the splendor of the Mighty one --  
I am become Death,  
The shatterer of Worlds."  
-_Hindu Spiritual_

For an eternity he remained pressed against the wall, feeling it bite against his palms and relishing in the distraction. Strong, unexplained emotions were running their course, leaving him gasping for breath - when his vision had cleared, Babidi's triumphant laughter had long faded into the rock. He found that his hands were numb as he pulled them away.

Drained, he fell against the stone cliff. There he remained.

He was thinking. Trying to grasp what had happened. Was it the Kai? Babidi?

The events were beginning to grow hazy; he fought viciously to retain them, study them. He had to understand…

Time passed. His legs began to ache. More time, more thought. But to no avail.

The barrier remained.

_A boy – _

_ What did he say?_

_ I can't remember anymore-?_

With a sudden snarl, he leapt to his feet, throwing his shoulder against the barricade. He ricocheted off, of course, and managed to catch himself on the rock wall before hitting the ground.

_Why can't I understand?_

A moment before the notion had come to him that someone was playing with him. That had been only one postulation among many, but now it was becoming more and more likely – as it grew more valid, he grew more angered. He did not like being played with. Especially his own mind, his last sanctuary.

Perhaps that was why this whole affair bothered him so much.

Disgusted and discouraged, he gave a last glare towards the opaque barrier and turned- the rocky corridor lay open before him, not an obstruction in site.

As he had done many, many times before, too many in his opinion, Vegeta walked away.

But this time, he could not believe that this was where it ended.

* * *

A few melancholy words passed through him before they dissolved into a sea of glass. 

_Don't forget us… Don't hate us._

With a groan the child opened exhausted eyes, only to close them again when wind stung back. Gathering himself, he realized he was being held by someone, and that someone was flying.

Whoever it was, their ki was ominous at such close quarters. Suppressed, yet still rampant with a rush of dark magic. Disbelieving, Goten opened his eyes once more and focused on the face of his captor.

Once again, he was in the arms of the monster.

* * *

His first emotion as he watched the fatal light grow closer was one of utter disbelief. This quickly expanded to dread and something almost akin to anger – _Like this? Here? What kind of god dies by the hands of a halfbreed child – a halfhuman_ _child -_ _and is unable to do anything about it?_

The Majin's assault was burning his skin, only a few feet away from him, and he awaited an eternity for his death to come. Wind whipped around him in a maelstrom, the heat of a thousand fires burned against his face, the memories of a million days played before his eyes – his humiliations and his victories, his happy times and sad times – and then, abruptly, he was face down in the dirt and the scorching heat was slowly dissipating across his back.

He raised his face to see a foot – a blue-shod foot. And above that, an orange-clothed leg.

For a brief moment which he soon disregarded he wondered if things had just gotten better or worse.

A golden aura shooed him forcefully away from his savior. Getting to his feet, he retreated several meters back to admire the nearby grove that had been demolished by the parried attack. Then, already reverting to his standard composed self, he looked to the new arrival. Son Goku, surrounded by a brilliant gold, stood facing his estranged son.

Shin calmly pried his way into the Saiyan's mind to find absolutely nothing. No fears, no hatred, no uncertainty – just a cold intellect. As he watched, this new calm mind swiftly examined its opponent. _He's surprised and taking too long to respond. Either tired or slow in the mind, a combination of the two? This second Super Saiyan level will hold. It's fast enough, strong enough. _

No hint of Goku's former insecurities.

With a quiet smile, the Supreme Kai retreated from Goku's mind and to the shade of a nearby pine tree. So his plan had held in the end. He had been worried, but now things could finish well. As long as Goku remained in this coldly efficient state and as long as Gohan remained "slow," the latter would be killed and the former would eventually recover. The Earthlings could mourn for their dead and move on with their lives. The entire universe could move on with their lives.

Of course, with the dragonballs, there would only be one death to mourn, one that had already been mourned sufficiently in Shin's opinion. He often failed to see the mortal obsession with death. There was no point in living their days in depression when they would meet up with lost ones in eternity anyway…

Many mortal things did not make sense to him. Perhaps because of his lack of training. The Supreme Kai that had ruled over them all had seemed to know everything about mortal sentiments. He often wished he could be as good a leader as the Supreme Kai who had sacrificed himself to Buu.

Father and son were moving now.

Goku was first to approach, rocketing forward – when Gohan made no effort to defend himself, he brought up an elbow, slamming it down on the Majin's head. Gohan stumbled back a few steps before giving a quick exhale of energy and racing forward to strike his father across the face. Goku was unaffected; without so much as a blink he used his right arm to punch the boy's stomach. To avoid retaliation, he danced back several steps, landing in a defensive position. Gohan hauled himself forward, breath coming quicker – a white aura had burst around him as his blood ran hotter – and attempted another blow to the face. Goku caught it with ease and stepped aside, throwing him to the ground.

Gohan slowly got to his knees, hands pressing into the dirt. He lingered, aura thrashing about him in angry wisps.

Son Goku regarded him tersely.

With a jerk he threw himself forward again, eyes flaring green as he ascended to the level of Super Saiyan. The extra boost of power was enough for him to tackle his father to the ground. With a grunt, Goku threw him off, getting to his feet with lightning speed. Gohan had recovered in time to avoid the ki blast thrown at him. The attack careened off into the sky, exploding only after ascending several miles. As Gohan knocked the blast away Goku moved forward, landing a kick on the adolescent's right side. Once again, the Majin was thrown to the ground.

Once again, he lingered, hands pressed into the soil.

And so the battle went.

Shin watched with a calm, uncaring eye. He knew how this would all end. Gohan was not winning the small skirmishes. He was moving far too clumsily. As soon as Goku chose to end it, it would end. For now, the Supreme Kai was willing to wait.

In the wait he looked to the steadily darkening sky. He did not see the first star appear, however, as he was too deep within his own thoughts. Perhaps it was poor etiquette on his point to not watch the fight he himself had caused. He did not address this thought.

He reviewed the day, the many ways it had gone wrong. Goku and Gohan's relation. Kabito's death. Goku's uncertainty. The first skirmish with Gohan. The destruction of the stadium.

How much could he do wrong in one day?

And now he began to realize that he had misjudged Gohan. When the day had begun, there had been something there. Now, there was nothing. Yet another mistake on his part.

There was no point in lingering. He had made the decision many years prior to destroy Babidi at all costs. And this was the cost: a handful of Earthling warriors that would die in a few decades anyway.

It was their right, their obligation to fight for the safety of their own planet. They would've fought anyway, even without his help. Perhaps with his help he had led them to victory. After all, where would Earth have been now if Goku had remained uncertain? Probably long gone. And Buu off to destroy the universe, with Babidi cackling at its side.

And Gohan, the halfbreed son? Most likely dead like Dabura. Cast aside for the newer, stronger toy.

So maybe things were improved by his many errors. Maybe it was all serendipitous. Maybe he had somehow stumbled his way to a happy ending.

Of course, Buu was still running rampant.

That would have to be dealt with next.

He watched idly as Gohan met with the earth again, paused momentarily to catch his breath, and took after his father once more. The grass was already attempting to recover from the sudden impact of the hybrid. Sunlight played across the spot, urging on its recovery.

Another thought came to him. This one much more important.

If Babidi was dead, who was controlling Son Gohan?

The only answer was that Babidi was reaching out from Hell. There was no other answer – Shin was certain that the magician was gone. He had felt the repulsive creature pass on.

Which meant that someone in Hell was not doing their job.

Scowling, he leapt to his feet, and opened his mouth to order Kabito – but closed it before he could finish the thought. Kabito was gone. And he was unable to go to Other World without him.

He knew that Dende, the Kami of this planet, would have means by which to travel to Enma's palace and from there to Hell. But watching the battle progress, he realized he could not leave. Not after the many episodes of doubt Goku had shown throughout the day. Goku was not to be left alone.

With a sigh of defeat, he settled back into the shade of the tree. Soon the entire meadow would be in shade. The sun was almost gone.

* * *

The moment his arms were able he shoved his way out of the monster's grip, racing away as fast as he could manage. He had only gotten a few meters when it was in front of him again, its pink stomach blocking his way. Goten moved to go to the left – Buu shifted as well, effectively blocking him. He moved right, and the same thing happened. He scowled softly for a moment. Then, after glaring quickly at the creature, he dove down and rocketed off below the monster's feet. 

Two yellow gloves grabbed him by the arm. He came to an abrupt halt.

Buu gave him what it thought of as a "stern" look. Scowling back, Goten jerked away, tugging desperately to free his arm. The Majin paid him no heed.

"Not fast, or others see. Bad to see." It frowned for a minute, then clarified, "Bad for others to see."

Goten gave a particularly vicious jerk and hissed, "I won't go anywhere with _you_."

"Why boy say that?"

"You're a monster!"

The creature remained silent for a moment, somehow more surprised than insulted. Finally it said, "Other boy promise to show Buu world, if Buu promise to take you. Buu promise. Other boy promise. Buu take you, or Buu break promise. Buu no break promise."

"Gohan told you this?"

"Other boy promise this. Yes. Yes, other boy promise. Other boy promise to come back if Buu take you to Lookout."

"I don't believe you," said Goten, though he ceased his struggling.

"Boy promised. Buu promised. Boy is fighting bad man now – even if you no like Buu, Buu must protect you."

The child paused and looked to the west uneasily. "Dad's not the bad man, is he?"

Buu frowned. "Boy may break promise, but me won't break mine."

* * *

With a shower of dirt Gohan landed only a few feet away from the Supreme Kai. The Majin was on his back, breathing heavily. A flicker of black raced through his blonde hair. Shin did not flinch. 

Taking his chance, Shin rushed against the halfbreed's mind, only to meet a wall of iron opposition. Babidi's snarl of rage poured over him, burning in his ears, and then he was outside Gohan's body once more.

Though shunned, he gave a smile. Babidi was not pleased with these events, which meant victory was imminent.

Gohan struggled to his feet, face twisted with an insane fury, and rushed his father once more.

Shin's eyes fell upon the torn patch of soil, and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. But he soon disregarded the thought and returned to the fight.

She had been there for a quarter of an hour.

Well, that was how long she had been conscious. There was no way to tell how long she had been there before waking.

Nimbus hummed softly at her side, sinking low to the ground in what seemed a sulking manner. It was the cloud's attempt at hanging its head, perhaps. She patted it quietly in reassurance.

With an air of elegant composure, she knelt straight-backed before the small marker. It was a plain obelisk, only a few feet high, unmarked. Its polished granite surface gleamed softly in the light of the setting sun.

She traced a finger over the bare surface, wishing her cheeks would dry faster. She could not find the will to wipe away the tears on her dress.

Goku had once said that this grave could be a memorial to both their lost son and his lost grandfather. Thus it had remained unmarked. She had never spoken of her husband's decision, and wondered what Goku had thought of that.

Idly, she noted that her quest hadn't gotten very far.

Idly, she noted that there was a small amount of blood on the front of her dress.

She turned and laid her back against the stone, facing the setting sun. Nimbus hovered closer, lying low in the grass.

Chichi hoped her mind would soon erase the events of the day.

* * *

He brooded along the outskirts, watching the crowd of psychotics and sinners mill before him. They chatted, they quarreled, they threatened – it reminded of his younger years. He no longer belonged. 

His brow furrowed and assaulted a small rock laying innocently in his path.

All these emotions, half of them not his own apparently – they were about to drive him insane. Whoever was responsible would have to die. Maybe he could start a brawl. That would ease some tension… And there was no Kakkarot at his shoulder to remind him of the repercussions for such things.

It was decided by Enma himself. No matter what he did, he would end up here for the rest of eternity. With all the creatures he despised. All the nightmares he ignored. Maybe even a few of the people he had killed.

For a few insane moments, he wondered if he could talk to a few of them, coerce them into working for him against Babidi. But no one would know how to break past the barrier. And they all knew his story. He had died honorably. He did not belong.

And so he, Prince, was yet again the prince of nothing. The prince of dirt.

He found his feet had carried him up a hill to the crest of a large ridge. Before him was a brief plateau, dotted by several flat rocks. And seated upon one of these rocks, eyeing him with curious vile eyes, was Cell.

He toyed with the idea of carrying out his small revenge, but he found himself taking a seat.

_Too many years with the woman.__ Before—_

"Before you would have attacked me in a blind rage by now," Cell stated calmly. His voice, lucid and composed, was as maddening as ever.

Again Vegeta felt anger rise in him. He did not like people reading his thoughts, finishing his sentences. He did not like this psychic business. But reason dictated Cell had no such powers.

He still seethed.

"You're quite the outcast now, Vegeta. Well done. You just don't fit in anywhere, do you? The good ones are afraid of you, the bad ones don't pay any attention to you. You're just the minor character in some larger play, never taking center stage. _I _took center stage. But of course, look where it got me. Look what fighting for good got you. A nice rock in Hell. Maybe, if they ever get that stupid contraption working, a good view of what's happening in the ever-perilous mortal realms."

The Saiyan glanced at the looming screen far in the distance. He almost felt insulted that the day's events were being broadcasted. _Did they show Trunks and I? Kakkarot and his sons? It was personal, damn them- not some little exciting action film… But of course, it's all been personal. _

_ Far too personal. _

Cell was still talking. He considered walking away, and listened for a good chance to insult the insect and depart.

"Once you have been defeated, gloriously or not, there is nothing left to do. You come here, or if you have truly succeeded go deeper and suffer. But no, us lower creatures, us silly egotistical things – they just stick us in this godforsaken desert and leave us to wither. We boast, we fight, we bicker. All to no avail. We are infinite losers, this is our home. There is nothing for us but to boast to the egotistical morons around us and brood over where we have failed."

A few wry comments occurred to him, but he found his body betraying him. Getting to his feet, the prince muttered, "Perhaps this is the point." He began to walk away.

Cell's voice pulled after him. "Well it doesn't matter much to you, does it? You'll be revived before the mortal day is out."

He smirked. "No. But I'll be back. And when I am back, I will be boasting with the rest of you."

_Maybe it's all balanced – I the dark, Kakkarot the light. And Gohan? The unfortunate in-between._

_ We're all destined to go where we are meant to go. I am destined to Hell, no matter what good deeds I perform. Kakkaro is destined to Heaven, no matter what crime he commits. _

_ I wonder where the gaki will end up.

* * *

_Another quarter of an hour, and the sun was almost gone. Twilight's strange dimness reached across the world, conjuring strange creatures from the wildly strewn shadows. Insects and the nightlife stirred and rose from their burrows. Off in the distance, a thunderstorm brewed.

And here she remained, feeling a breeze across her skin, struggling to keep her mind blank. Nimbus remained at her side, now glowing faintly as the sunlight faded.

Her stomach gave a sudden twist.

Alert, she brought her gaze down, peering through the steadily darkening forest. Was someone nearby? Goku, maybe? Come to console her?

She doubted her husband had time for such things, not today.

An unfamiliar emotion was burning at the back of her throat as her stomach twisted once more.

No, it wasn't unfamiliar…

Using Nimbus as leverage, she leapt to her feet, eyes quickly locating the forest path as her feet began to carry her forward at a run. Nimbus followed, its curious putting noise growing louder as it sped along.

_Not this time, Nimbus. On my own two feet this time. _

She ran as fast as she could.

* * *

Yet another skirmish had ended with Gohan sprawled across the ground. But this was different: Gohan could not get up. 

Shin rose to his feet, frowning softly.

Blood, new and old, stained the boy's tattered clothing. Burn marks, various scrapes, and dark bruises spread across any and all exposed skin – he was a mess, and in no way capable of continuing the fight.

_So it's over. _

Goku approached, still in his ascended state. A foreign malice reached into an otherwise emotionless face.

With one fluid motion, the Saiyan reached down and picked up the halfbreed by his throat.

Weak, Babidi's slave clawed at the steadfast arm, to no avail.

Shin stood by with a somber expression.

_This is the end.

* * *

_"Almost there, boy?"

"Almost there," said Goten. Then, in a tone he had learned from Trunks, he continued, "I have a name, y'know, it's–"

The child stopped and turned, facing the western horizon. The last remnants of sunlight were escaping across the clouds.

Buu watched curiously as Goten abruptly took off, heading pell-mell for the falling sun – then, recalling his duty, he caught up with ease and grabbed the boy's arm.

He was surprised and confused when the halfbreed turned back, face wet with tears. His voice cracked as he shouted, "Let me go! They're killing him!"

* * *

Babidi cursed as he held back a bleeding hand. A crack began to run its way through the crystal ball. "What is this?" he cried, furious. "What is going on?" 

"My, my. This is an interesting one," said his father, moving in beside him. He gave a grin. "Someone's been planning ahead."

"I don't understand!" Babidi hissed. "The stupid creature should be dead already!"

"One of the many problems of dealing with sentient creatures. This isn't Yakkon. This is – was – an intellegent thing, and it apparently decided to go out with a bang."

"I don't understand," Babidi repeated, glaring balefully at the crystal ball.

"It set orders. Made a wish, so to speak. Placed a final dream in the subconscious as it left, and that dream is being carried out by the body – in such a manner that you could not feel."

"It wished to die? The brat always was moronic—"

"No… It wished to win." Bibidi grinned and moved close. "But it's ruined its own plan."

* * *

Buu could easily hold fast under the child's struggling, but it was confused. It did not like being confused. It did not know what had brought this on. 

And so, he inquired. "What boy want? Who killing?"

But Goten would have none of it. He continued to struggle blindly, whimpering – and Buu continued to restrain him, growing more and more frustrated with its own confusion.

* * *

It was only a mile – but it seemed so much longer. Her stomach was already cramping, hindering her lungs and making her stumble. Nimbus slowed for every stumble, sped up for every sprint. She was running as hard as she could. 

She did not care if she had a heart attack, or lung failure, or whatever other affliction she could dream up. She would get there – half dead or not.

It was the only thing that mattered.

* * *

Shin watched morosely as Gohan's arms fell to his sides. A blue tinge had worked its way into the boy's cheeks, and his eyes were closed. 

Goku did not seem to care about any of this.

Shin supposed this was for the best.

* * *

Buu winced as Goten gave a sudden wail before falling silent, sobbing. Slowly, he descended, until he was simply hanging limp from the creature's grip. 

The child began to chant listlessly. "He's gone – he's gone…"

Majin Buu nodded solemnly.

* * *

Almost done. 

The Supreme Kai found himself wanting to look away now, as the halfbreed slowly faded – it took so much longer than he expected, but it didn't matter. It was almost over. Then on to the next task. One that was not fraught with so much uncertainty.

He glanced into Goku's mind, cautious. Still nothing. Calm. Composed. The perfect Saiyan, as Goku himself had said.

With a grimace, he wondered if the Saiyan would ever awaken from this state.

Almost done…

Cautiously, he reached into Gohan's mind – a small sight of victory was what he wanted. Just to see Babidi on his knees. In a rage, probably. He smirked.

But there was no iron resistance this time. With surprise, he realized he had passed through a back door – slipped past Babidi's protection and into the mind of Son Gohan. Not that there was anything left. He had helped cause that.

Yet another mistake.

A memory leapt at him, taking him by surprise. This was the conscious, a newly-barren land, not the unpredictable subconscious. Where had it come from? Was Babidi letting the mind run rampant now that he was losing? Where was Babidi-

The memory enveloped him, swept him to another place, told him a story. It was a brief story, one that took only the blink of an eye to pass into the mind of the god. But what it told of stole his breath away.

He jerked out of the demi-Saiyan's mind as if stricken. Then, pale-faced, he searched the grass below his feet and felt dread reach across him.

Another mistake. Yet another damned mistake—

Shin leapt forward and boomed, "**_Goku, stop!_**"

* * *

It was amazing that something so small was so... alive. Human. Him. 

Holding something so small and alive to him, it was a strangely comforting sensation. He had never known it as a child, so the gesture still seemed alien as he did it now. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was that it felt good. So why worry?

The child gave a soft laugh and pulled away from his hug, looking to his eyes. Small, alive, warm. It all felt so strange and magical. Unbelievable, that Goku had actually _created_ something like this.

Chichi would have laughed at this and told him she had had a hand in it too.

"Father?"

Regaining his senses, Goku felt his eyes focus. He sat back with a smile. "Yeah?"

With a less uncertain tone, Gohan continued, "Don't you ever get... tired of it?"

It took a moment for him to respond. He had been reflecting on how soft and young that voice sounded... Surprised by his second lapse of attention, he quickly responded, "Of what?"

"All that training stuff," the child said, wrinkling his nose to accentuate his distaste.

Surprised, he laughed. "I don't think so..."

"But it's so _repetitive_... And boring. And what's it all for, anyway?"

_Kami, last year he could barely speak in sentences_, Goku thought with exasperation. "Um... Well, it's so I can be stronger."

"You're already the strongest in the whole world," the child said, eyes wide.

"But I won't be for long if I don't train," he explained. "And if I don't train, I won't be able to protect you from the bad people anymore."

"Like Piccolo?"

"Sure. Like Piccolo."

"Ok," Gohan said with reluctance. "I guess so." After a brief silence, his eyes lit with excitement - digging into a pocket, the child procured a clenched fist, grinning. "Look what I found the other day!"

Holding out a hand, Goku received the small, light gift. A small feather - probably a starling's, he thought, inspecting it - gleamed black and gold in the sunlight. His son stepped forward, examining it with beaming pride. "Isn't it pretty? It's all yellow on the edges, I've never seen one like it! Do you like it? You can keep it, if you want!"

"You don't want it?" Goku asked with mock surprise. "It sure is pretty, alright." He was glad to be back to a more simplistic matter. Just a feather. Not a question of his lifestyle. Yes, this was a much better subject...

"I found another one right next to it. This is the shinier one, so I thought I'd give it to you! But... aw. Look. It got all broken in my pocket."

"It's not broken, just a little bent. Still pretty. You sure you don't want it?"

"I already have mine!" the child exclaimed. "I don't want both!"

"Alright then," he replied. "I'll put it in a special place."

"Where's that?"

"Can't tell you! Then it wouldn't be special!"

After one last look at the gift, he tucked it into his waistband. Gohan continued to grin, obviously pleased with the exchange.

Goku settled back onto the grass. "So whaddya want to do today?"

Rather than the childish reply that he expected - 'Let's go fishing!' or 'I dunno, Nimbus, Daddy?' - tears sprung to the toddler's eyes. Panic and fear soon followed, and when Goku moved forward in concern Gohan stumbled away. "Daddy, you're hurting me!" he cried, grabbing his head with his hands.

Goku fell back in confusion. "Hurting you? But I'm not even touching you--"

"Stop it--!"

"I'm not..."

Gohan began to sway, voice falling to a low whisper. "Please..."

"What the hell's happening!" he cried in horror.

A starkly different voice invaded his nightmare. "**_Goku, stop!_**"

A rush of cold spring air poured into his lungs, bringing a wash of new information across his eyes.

He was awake.

And his hand was around his son's throat.

* * *

Buu let go. 

Goten looked to him, tired. "It's ok now. I'll go with you. I'm sorry."

"No. Boy look. Boy see," replied the creature, shaking its head.

The child obeyed halfheartedly. But, upon further inspection, he perked up, eyes opening wide. He looked to Buu expectantly.

"Boy follow. Buu know this what other boy want. Boy follow, and Buu go to Lookout, and promise kept."

Goten grinned. "It's ok," he said, disbelieving. "It's all ok. We'll all keep our promises. We'll all come back!" He had to shout the last words, as he was already taking away. In moments, his vapor trail had faded into the darkened sky.

Buu shook his head and continued his way to the Lookout.

* * *

His hand was slick with sweat. Guilty... Numb. Like him. 

His son now lay in the grass, breath coming in slow, steady heaves.

Goku stared silently. He was unable to think. Unable to comprehend what he had almost done…

The grass, tainted with a steady blue glow, rubbed against his feet. Shin stood at his side, looking almost as shocked as himself.

In his weary struggle for oxygen, Gohan managed to scowl.

The Saiyan bowed his head. The grass's eerie luminescence, surreal and yet natural, felt as though it burned against his face.

He had a strong urge to run his hand through his hair… but he could not. All he could do was sigh and nod. "I understand."

"I do, as well," the Supreme Kai confessed, voice shaky.

They both jerked as a woman's voice echoed through the meadow, calling, "Goku!"

Chichi leapt across the creek, landing neatly in the grass on the other side. She stared curiously at the meadow. "Goku, the grass—"

And then the world exploded.

She did not notice when the young man leapt up from the grass, breath ragged, nor when her husband moved with lightning speed to place himself between wife and son. Goku was not fast enough; Chichi found her husband in her face, and then her back was pressed against the dirt, the very tip of her hair immediately soaking through with icy mountain water. Her eyes had been blinded by a burning flash of heat and light; for several minutes, she simply lay there, her husband's weight pressed down upon her. There was another explosion nearby; then the meadow was eerily silent, save the whisper of the grass and the prattle of the creek.

Chichi took a deep breath and managed to roll Goku off of her; then she settled into the grass, still warm with the day's sun, and waited for her eyesight to clear.

* * *

_When he was nine- _

_ I remember that. _

_ It was when he was nine._

_ And in the meadow…_

He had been in the pine tree, though it was shorter then. Much shorter. Half of Gohan's life had passed since. A long time- a long, long time…

Sitting and experimenting.

Amazement did not begin to describe what he felt when the experiment actually worked. He had been fooling around, really. Playing with elemental fire.

King Kai had taught him how to ask the living things of a planet to give their energy to him. Such a method had been essential in their latest battle. Who knew, he had thought, perhaps it would be needed for the androids too. But a thought had come to him – if he could take energy from them, could he give it back? Or, maybe, give some of his energy to them? Without killing them?

It would be a useful technique if he could master it. If he had excess ki, he could give it to another fighter. Who knew where that would come in handy, if it worked.

And it worked. He couldn't believe it, but it worked.

How, he wasn't quite sure. He had simply coaxed some energy into one of the tree branches, and when he had moved his hand away, there was a new sprout there, glowing an iridescent blue. When he looked up, Gohan was there, staring in amazement at his new discovery.

Grinning madly, he had ruffled his son's hair and quickly explained how he had done it, explaining with excitement where such a discovery could go – maybe healing in battle, maybe sharing unneeded ki – and Gohan had listened intently, studying the branch in amazement.

Excitement, that was it. He was just so excited. So when he saw the look of utter despair on his son's face, he was completely confused.

"What's wrong?" he had said, hoping a show of concern would help cheer the child up.

"Is that all it was for, Dad? Fighting?" the young halfbreed had asked, staring at the branch. Then he had looked up, smiling. "It's pretty, too. It's almost dark. I've gotta go before Mom comes looking."

And he had left.

Dumbfounded, Goku had sat back on the branch, studied his creation. Eventually he snapped the small twig off and found the glow came away with it. Disgusted, he tossed it away. He never looked into the subject again.

One of the many lessons he had received from his elder son.

"_It's pretty, too." _

_ He didn't forget, after I gave up. Maybe because I gave up. He remembered how… _

_ The meadow – what is he telling me? He's telling me… _

_ "Is that all it was for, Dad? Fighting?"_

Another hand was reaching in, guiding him along. Leading him down the right path. He welcomed it unconsciously.

_ He's telling me… it's over. All life was for, was fighting. And now… for him… _

_ It's over. _

He awoke with a start.

* * *

_Finis_

_

* * *

_I apologize for the 3 months it has taken to finish this darn thing… I really am bad about that, aren't I? But I've met my goal of updating on KH's birthday, so I'm happy!

I don't really have a good preview of the final chapter. Guess you'll just have to see when it comes around…

Review responses are, as usual, on my Livejournal. Look in my Memories in Review Responses and find Ch. 25 (KH).

Thank you for reading!

Quick Edit is officially enough to drive a person mad - and it was being _nice_ today.


	27. Hollow

...What can I say? Life... Public theater... Junior year of high school... Driver's license... All wonderfully pathetic excuses for why it takes Skadu six months to get a chapter and a half done. --; I apologize profusely.

Check out the epilogue, which shall be posted directly after this. And keep an eye out for Kokuhaku's sequel... Which does not have a name yet. Working on that >. 

Enjoy! Sorry for the crazy wait.

Last time (a long, long time ago):

_...he lingered, hands pressed into the soil. _

_And so the battle went. _

_"Boy may break promise, but me won't break mine." _

We're all destined to go where we are meant to go. I am destined to Hell, no matter what good deeds I perform. Kakkaro is destined to Heaven, no matter what crime he commits.

I wonder where the gaki will end up.

_ "Is that all it was for, Dad? Fighting? It's pretty, too." _

* * *

Kokuhaku: Chapter 27  
Hollow

* * *

"The kinder you are, the bigger the toll it takes on you. We have to fight within ourselves, within our hearts, and we have to do it harshly to come to the right conclusions, even if our battles to date are meaningless."  
--Gundam Wing

Ludlu was halfway through a piece of Earth fruit that he had grown fond of – it was called a _bapple_, he had heard – when Saab sat up suddenly from his sleep. "Master's coming," he said thickly.

Finishing off his meal with gusto, Ludlu got to his feet. "Right now?" His stomach churned; he had almost forgotten the punishment that was sure to come.

"He'll be here soon," said Saab. "Come on; let's get the ship ready."

Trunks lay on his back, a scant ten feet away from where his scuffle with his best friend's father had taken place earlier that day. The adrenaline brought up with the fight was only now settling as he sprawled across the cold white tile, staring up at the boundless sky. After a heated discussion with his mother and the departure of the others here he laid, for no exact purpose. Goku had told him to stay to protect his mother; but his mother had gone off to collect the dragonballs and refused his assistance in the matter. So where was the good in him staying?

_Mom says I need the time to calm down. But if they'd give me something to _do--!

Growling, he sat up. Those thoughts were only proving his mother's point.

Popo, the quiet genie, sat on the steps of the palace, eyes closed. Trunks knew he was there to watch him.

He toyed with the idea of flying down to Korin's, just to see if Popo or Dende would try to drag him back. Maybe he could see how good a fighter Popo was... Probably wasn't one. Experimenting, he took a peek at Popo's ki – it was at a human level, not that he could trust that reading, since Popo was probably hiding whatever he had.

Disappointed, he pulled back his sixth sense. A pang of dull pain radiated from his shoulder, where one of Goten's dad's blows had landed; his neck hurt also, from where his own father had struck him before…. doing what he had done. He knew it had been for him, but it still disgusted him somehow. His dad was supposed to be the strongest person in the universe.

A smile came across his face. _Goten's_ _always saying how great his dad is, but mine is even better. He said he was proud of me. Of _me.

But even that brief happiness was sullied. _Goten__always _said. _Said… 'Cause he left me too,_ he thought bitterly. _Stupid Goten. His dad wasn't even there to help him. Goten's dad was supposed to protect him, just like mine…_

_I wish Piccolo would come back… Maybe I could talk him into letting me go after Buu… I could take down that stupid monster, Dad probably weakened him, even if it doesn't show it. I bet I could finish it off. For both of them. _

He smirked, and found Popo eyeing him disapprovingly. Frowning, he got up and walked to the edge of the Lookout. The ground was obscured from sight by cloud cover, but as he looked out to the horizon he caught the barest hint of a desert where sky and ground met. It must've been a million miles away, by his estimation.

It had been quiet for almost an hour. The fight had to be over by now, even if it was on the other side of the earth. Goten's dad may not have saved Goten, and he may have been weaker than his own dad, but he was sure Buu and the other one were dead by now…

The other one. He didn't even want to think about _that_ one.

He hadn't told Goten that morning, but he hadn't liked the other one the moment he had set eyes on it. Goten had been so ecstatic thinking it was his brother, but Trunks didn't believe him. That murderer had put some sort of spell over Goten and Goten's dad, that was why they liked him so much; but Trunks saw past it. There was nothing good about… it. Maybe the toad-wizard had created it, just like Buu. He could believe that. But whatever its source, it was just another monster. Trunks could tell from the minute he set eyes on Goten's fake brother. Why no one else saw his way, he didn't know – maybe his father had, and just hadn't said anything. His dad was like that sometimes.

_So maybe if I could get to it, and kill it, the spell would be broken… And maybe Goten would come back. _

Popo was still calmly staring at him. The idea that the genie could read thoughts came to mind, and he uneasily brought his plans to a halt.

Discreetly, he stretched out his sixth sense, searching out the familiar ki of Goten's dad. Surely the Majin would be nearby.

He glanced at Popo. The genie had closed his eyes again.

Trunks was shocked to find Goten's dad alone, and at a resting state. The Supreme Kai was nearby, and Piccolo, all resting. Was the fight over? Had it been that easy? …Was it ever that easy?

His mother was to the south, with all the others – Krillin, Yamcha, Videl, Roshi. 18 was probably there too, but he couldn't see her, of course.

Chi-chi wasn't with them; perhaps back with Goten's dad – yes, there she was, right—

Trunks jerked, dropping his meditative-like trance as he leapt to his feet. He stared down at the tile in awe; a huge ki had exploded beneath his feet, seemingly out of nowhere… And it was coming straight towards them.

His heart leapt in a mixture of fear and elation as he realized that it was Goten's fake brother.

Popo was on his feet as well. He did not seem entirely surprised, but Trunks wasn't sure the genie could be surprised.

Moving quickly, he backed away from the edge of the Lookout and unleashed his energy. With a quick jerk of exertion he was at Super Saiyan. Even if his mother wasn't here to protect, he would not allow Dende to be touched… _And besides_, he thought as his blood boiled, _this stupid fake has to pay, for everything it did._

The ki signal was on them; wreathed in a blood-red aura, the fake Son Gohan erupted from below, arched far into the sky overhead, and came down on the other side; Trunks followed him with his eyes and clenched his fists, stomach churning as he readied himself to make a move—

And he froze in shock.

Hot on the fake's trail, golden energy flared all around him, his best friend shot past.

His _dead_ best friend.

For a second Trunks could only blink. Then, whirling, he shouted out Goten's name and ran after him, suddenly unable to recall the methods of flight. Goten did not notice; as he reached the opposite edge of the Lookout, he dove and disappeared, golden aura fading into the late afternoon sky.

He had come to a halt as Goten disappeared from sight. Now he began to run again, desperate to follow; but a cool hand pressed on his wrist. He whirled in a rage upon the calm features of Earth's Kami, the young Dende.

"They came from Korin's; go check and make sure that Yajirobe and Korin have not been harmed."

Trunks barely registered the words, glancing back as his friend's ki steadily departed.

Dende tightened his grip, regaining the halfbreed's attention. He smiled amiably. "Your friend is alive. Isn't that enough?"

"But—"

"Gohan was once a friend of mine as well. If Korin and Yajirobe are unharmed, he will not harm Goten either. I am sure of it."

Trunks stared at him doubtfully, then roughly pulled his hand free. "They aren't dead. But that doesn't mean he didn't-"

"Master. We have a visitor," Popo interrupted, somewhat urgently.

Trunks turned, and paled.

Majin Buu smiled in return.

* * *

"Three, already!" cried Roshi. "These hunts used to take you people _months!_"

"Well the way I see it," said Krillin conversationally as he brushed dirt from his slacks, "after demon warlords, space tyrants and biologically engineered super-warriors – there ain't much to fear anymore."

"You mean, besides the pink glob currently wandering the planet which could destroy the entire universe," added Bulma.

"Oh, but of course." The ex-monk delicately extracted a twig from his hair, brushed a small amount of slobber from his sleeve. "But really – what's a little dinosaur between you and a Dragonball, when you've faced Freeza head on?"

Bulma smiled congenially. "Or Vegeta." She ignored the irritated glare she received in return.

"Alright, we may be going a little faster than normal, but that's still two more to go," said Yamcha. "And the sooner the better; who knows what's going on with the others."

Krillin sighed, admiring the dragonball he had acquired. "I'm thinking Earth just doesn't cut it anymore when it comes to adventure-seeking. It just isn't dangerous anymore."

"I don't know about that - Hercule is on the loose, you know," said Bulma with a grin. Krillin rolled his eyes. "Hercule? Don't you mean Goku's wife?"

* * *

Vegeta sat alone, studying the barren landscape of Hell. It all seemed something of a joke; instead of fire and brimstone, they were left to their own devices, and somehow that was infinitely worse. The only salvation for himself was the knowledge that if the battle went as planned, he'd be back on Earth within hours.

_Get used to this landscape,_ he thought coldly. _As soon as your life is over, you're going to be staring at it a long, long time. _

He had moved on to another ridge, this one without any insects already occupying it. He glanced to the glowing sphere that was the Majin barrier occasionally, but it stood firm each time his eyes passed over it.

The TV still spouted static, despite the ogres' best efforts. The crowd had begun to disperse, losing interest. Vegeta noticed several past enemies, including Freeza, continuing to stare hopefully at the speckled screen.

_Hoping that Kakkarot has lost, no doubt, _he thought with cold amusement.

Eternity continued to fly past, and he estimated that it must have been sundown in the living world. His eyes skated across the horizon, which was as rocky and barren as ever.

But something was missing.

For a moment he couldn't think what; then he realized with shock.

_Where's the barrier?_

Getting to his feet, he stared at where it had been for a long moment. But it didn't flicker, or reappear. It was completely gone.

With a swift jump he took to the air.

* * *

Goku felt something cold touch him. The memory of his son dissipated, and he found himself blinking and looking up into the face of his wife. Chi-chi pulled back, looking worried; Goku cautiously got to his feet, feeling suddenly sore. He looked to her tiredly. "How long was I out?"

Wringing out a wet cloth, she answered, "Fifteen minutes, maybe twenty. The sun's down."

"And Shin-" Goku looked away, distracted; the Supreme Kai lay facedown in the glowing grass, alive but unconscious. "That's good, at least," he said, although thinking other things.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine," he replied quickly, getting to his feet. His back burned where Gohan's blast had struck him, but it could've been a lot worse had he not shielded himself.

As he had suspected, Shin had a similar burn on his own back. Gohan had knocked him out, too, and escaped.

He wanted to curse himself for letting him get away, but he shuddered at the only other option.

"Chi-chi – will you watch them?" asked Goku, noticing Piccolo nearby for the first time.

She nodded silently. Calling up his sixth sense, Goku spread out his mind, reaching across the globe in search of his quarry. Gohan had traveled far; he was nowhere near the mountains, anymore.

_Fifteen minutes – that's enough to get around the world, _thought Goku darkly.

"What are you going to do?" asked Chi-chi. He jerked, surprised; she had stepped closer without his noticing, and now stood at his elbow.

He realized that he had no answer.

"I'll find him," he said finally, uncomfortable. "And we'll see what happens from there." He continued to seek out the familiar ki.

"But you can't kill him," said his wife. "There's something I have to tell you—"

Goku froze, staring off into the distance with shock.

_Goten_…

"Tell me later," said Goku suddenly, bringing two fingers to his forehead. "I'll be back!"

Chi-chi stared with frustration at where her husband had just stood. _He wouldn't do anything extreme, _she thought, and found herself half-believing it. She headed back to the creek to wash out the cloth and continue on to her next patient.

* * *

Bulma ducked to avoid the low entrance into her latest airplane, the fastest ever built. It stood no chance against the speed of her inhuman husband and the others, but it certainly made trips round the world go by quicker. Thinking this, she slapped the hull with an inventor's pride.

As her eyes adjusted to the dim interior, she made her way to the front. Videl sat in the co-pilot seat, eyes fixated on an insignificant patch of floor.

"Videl?"

The young woman looked up, startled. Bulma took the nearby pilot's seat. "What's on your mind?"

Videl spoke uneasily. "I'm worried, is all… I've never seen Goku like he was today. And his first son—they've already gone through a lot, you know? It's not really _fair_ that all this stuff happens to their family." She paused, looking to the ceiling. Smiling crookedly, she continued, "I guess it's just kind of unsettling. I've only known him a few years, but it's really weird to see Goku shaken up like that."

"He's changed a lot since he was a kid," said Bulma. "He can still be pretty clueless sometimes, but with Goten around he's grown a lot closer to his family than before. As for Gohan… I don't know. I think Goku's more used to leaving others, than others leaving him. And he's not used to betrayal, either."

"If betrayal is the right way to put it," said Videl.

"I wish it weren't."

Propping her chin on her hand, Videl stared out the windshield. "Wish I could speak to him. Gohan, I mean. Maybe wake him up a little."

Bulma grinned. "You never know." She cocked her head to the side; the echo of voices trickled through the forest leaves. Straightening, Bulma started up the engines. "Well, that's them then; only three left, and then maybe life'll go back to normal."

"Not yet," sad Videl quietly. "Buu's still out there, somewhere. And Goku's fighting him all alone…"

* * *

Goten's feet hit the earth with a dull thump. No longer in need of speed, he dropped his Super Saiyan form as well, leaving him naked in the dark of the twilight desert.

There was scant light anymore, but he easily picked out his brother's form from the nearby rocks. He had come to a stop, back facing him. Fists clenched, the young halfbreed carefully approached.

"Why are you following me?" asked Gohan coldly, still facing away from him. "You've been a thorn in my side all day long—"

"Shut up," said Goten quietly.

"What did you say to me?" he hissed, turning.

Goten stared at him calmly for a moment. He then spoke with vehemence. "I said shut up. I don't want to hear your stupid voice anymore, you toad."

Gohan's eyes widened in surprise. "You—"

Moving quickly, Goten snatched up Gohan's wrist; in a less graceful manner, Gohan drove his free hand into the boy's stomach. Goten was forced to let go, the force of the blow clouding his vision.

"Stupid kid," cursed the older half-Saiyan, kicking him in the side. Goten lay still.

Scowling, Babidi headed for the ship.

* * *

The two Majin stood nervously in the half-dark desert, Ludlu wringing his hands, Saab looking grim. They had been waiting many minutes in the chilled night air, the only warmth coming from the sand beneath their feet. Ludlu's apprehension grew with each passing minute. He didn't understand how Saab was hiding it so well.

A figure emerged from the dark suddenly, surprising them. Ludlu's night vision was poor, and so when he realized that the figure approaching was not Babidi, he had already saluted and barked a greeting.

Saab remained silent until the stranger had entered the circle of light provided by a lantern near the door. It was the young Gohan, looking haggard, clothing torn and bloody.

"I am your new master now," said the halfbreed in a voice very unbecoming of him. "Since Babidi is no longer our master, the rest of the crew is dismissed as soon as we return to the palace. You two are, as well. I will be hiring new men."

"All due respect, sir," replied Saab, "there is no other crew. And we would like to stay on, if you don't mind."

Gohan nodded curtly and headed past them into the ship.

"Did he miss the 'there is no crew' part?" whispered Ludlu, shocked. Saab didn't reply, so Ludlu went on much louder, "And _what did you just do?"_

"You said you were feeling guilty for what we did. Here's how we redeem ourselves," said Saab calmly.

"So we can do it again to some other poor kid, under him? I'm not seeing your logic, _friend._"

Saab looked into the ship. "I don't think…" Then, shaking his head, he stepped towards the open door. "It's been a long day. Let's get out of here."

Ludlu scowled. "Why'd you have to drag me into this, anyway? I have a home planet, unlike some people." Saab ignored him, disappearing into the ship. Ludlu rolled his eyes. "Kanassans (1). Never speaking sense and never listening to it, either."

* * *

For a long moment he simply stood there, too astonished to move. The sun sank lower, casting eerie redness over the scene. There was no stale tension stretching the air anymore. It almost felt _tranquil._ Which was ironic, Goku thought, considering their mood when they had arrived that morning (what seemed, now, centuries ago).

After a long moment of consideration, he stepped closer and took a seat next to Goten on the edge of the gaping crater which had appeared in the desert floor.

His son was looking up into the dark sky, smiling softly. He hadn't even looked in his direction. Goku studied him curiously and then gently ruffled his hair. "Where've you been, kiddo?"

The child stirred and looked up at him brightly. "Dad?" he asked cheerily. He grinned. "You wouldn't believe what I saw!"

"Oh?"

"Me an' Trunks wanted to see the fight. And a bunch of stuff happened – Piccolo took us, but then Babidi – and yeah. It was really cool! Babidi was gonna kill brother, and I knocked him out, and-" his words began to meld together as he spoke with more and more fervor.

Exasperated and barely able to understand him, Goku held up a hand. "Slow down! I can't understand you when you tell twenty stories at once."

"Gohan's gone," said Goten, excitement fading. His eyes fell into the dark bowl beneath them. The crater the Majin ship had left behind. The child spoke with sobriety. "He's going back."

"So I heard." Goku frowned, closing his eyes for a moment. "There's nothing we can do about it; I can't sense him anymore."

"Are we going to wish everyone back now?"

"Yeah." He got to his feet, careful around the edge of the hole. Goten followed suit. Holding the young boy's shoulder, he put two fingers to his forehead. But just as he went through the motions to teleport them to the Lookout, he paused, examining the area around Dende's ki with newfound interest. "Goten… If they're gone, why is Majin Buu still here?"

* * *

Vegeta touched down just outside where the barrier had been. He could still see his own footprints, scuffed into the dirt. A clean burn mark spread where the dome had held.

Cautious, he touched the air; no sting of rebuttal met his hand. Ever so slowly, he stepped through.

The small clearing where Babidi and Bibidi had holed themselves up was now solely occupied by ogres, a pair of whom were dragging away a shrieking Bibidi. Babidi was nowhere to be seen.

Vegeta scowled and approached the gaggle of unintelligent-looking oni. "What happened?"

"None of your business, Saiyan," scoffed one of the ogres with a hold on Bibidi. They each held an arm, holding Bibidi several feet off the ground. Upon catching sight of him, Bibidi grew quiet, eyeing him with a smirk.

Before the oni could blink, Vegeta had a hand around its companion's throat. "It _is _my business."

Looking nervous, the ogre scowled irritably and finally said, "This one went crazy, destroyed his son's soul. We're putting him in the lower levels for safekeeping."

"Shouldn'tve been in the upper levels to begin with," hissed a scrawny ogre nearby. "And you won't be, if you don't let go of him. I hear they have an opening in the Forest."

Regretfully, he released his grip and left the oni behind. He had heard tell of the Forest – the fourth and final level of Hell. Not for the petty, prideful people up here; no, that was for the _true_ demons.

He walked the perimeter of the clearing, finding nothing unusual – until his eyes fell upon a small glass orb, splattered with what looked like purple blood and cracked down the center.

Kneeling, he picked it up carefully. The orb sparked and fizzed faintly, but soon fell silent. His reflection stared back coldly, a web of cracks running across it and the one major fracture splitting his face in half.

_Destroyed his son's soul? That's how Gohan 'died', too. _

Abruptly, he realized the foreign emotions that had been plaguing him for what felt like hours had vanished. Scowl ever sterner, he put the orb down and stood.

_It hasn't ended yet.

* * *

_

Goku was sitting alone on the steps to Dende's palace when the Supreme Kai approached. His mind had been elsewhere, absorbing the tales that the others had told him – how the day had occurred through the eyes of the others. He held a dragonball in his hand, the dead four-star, faded to a dull gray for another year. Absent-minded, he exchanged it between hands, thinking.

Now that his body had slowed down, adrenaline quickly fading away and leaving exhaustion behind, the day seemed a blur. He had lost his mind, he knew that much, and found it again, but not before doing things he now regretted.

"I apologize" were the first words out of Shin's mouth. Goku jerked out of his reminisces at his voice. "Things grew out of hand today," Shin continued. "For me and for you."

"I was wrong," said Goku. "Sorry if I was disrespectful, Supreme Kai."

"Gods are not infallible, as you may have learned. Your anger was understandable. You know about what happened with your son now, don't you?"

"In Hell? Yes. Vegeta explained it to me."

"For that, I apologize. It wasn't appropriate. And I apologize for seeming… manipulative." The god extended a hand.

Slowly, Goku took it. Shin nodded. "You have a good soul, Goku. You always will, I suspect. Your son was the same, and I should have seen it much sooner." Releasing him, Shin looked away.

"The Majin still escaped. Are you going to follow them?"

"Babidi was controlling your son from Hell, somehow; his father was helping him, I suspect. I've been told Babidi was destroyed by his father. I doubt that's what really took place." Shin frowned. "I'll be following it. We'll investigate what really took place in the H.F.I.L; from there, we will see what we can do about your son."

"Will you tell us if you find him?"

Both god and Saiyan jumped; neither had heard nor seen Goten come upon them, and the young child's voice surprised them. Goten, in return, regarded them inquisitively and repeated, "Will you?"

"It's the least I could do," replied the Supreme Kai. He nodded to Goku and Goten in turn. "It's time I returned. Kabito and I have plenty of work ahead of us."

Goku said his brief goodbyes and got to his feet. His son following closely, the pair slowly headed towards the edge of the Lookout. Vegeta and the others had returned home half an hour before; the Lookout was back to its usual peacetime silence, free of the bustling activity of the hellacious day. Only Dende and Popo remained. Piccolo had left, off to gather his thoughts in the wilderness.

Standing on the edge of the Lookout, Goten waiting expectantly at his side, he realized he didn't have the energy to travel home. It wasn't a physical matter – Dende had healed him with his usual prowess – his mind just balked at it, as if it was some gargantuan task.

After a moment of deep thought he found himself calling Nimbus. The yellow cloud appeared within a few minutes and Goten leapt on eagerly, as boisterous as ever. The child never ceased to amaze him.

With less vigor he climbed on, feeling the soft nothingness underneath him, telling his old friend their destination. With a final wave to Earth's god, they disappeared down into the lower atmosphere.

Goku held his son in his lap. At first his mind was still whirling numbly with its new, dark memories; but eventually his attention turned to Goten. The child was as light as the cloud beneath him; he stared wide-eyed at the world below, now dark and filled with gold sparkles where the humans held sway. The moon was dancing in a long, infinite string of sparkle across the ocean; it was dissolving soft and silver across the trees and grass of the continent.

He realized all this through the young halfbreed's eyes, and finally felt his heart become at ease.

He smiled softly. And then he grinned; he had thought he had forgotten how.

* * *

Finis

* * *

(1) - Kanassans: The alien race that Bardock, Goku's father, helped destroy (and received his psychic abilities from). The Kanassans have a natural prowess for all things psychic.

Well there you have it, finally. Next 'tis the final chapter of Kokuhaku... The Epilogue. But not the final in the _series_, mind you. There is a sequel coming, don't forget to look for it (and I'll say this four more times for you skimmers out there). Thank you for reading, please leave a review if you're so inclined.

(Glad to see the QuickEdit kinks are finally working out. Still no indent, though... Oh well. We can't have everything.)


	28. Epilogue

It's finally the end... of Part One, that is.

Note: this is a few months past last chapter (now March, as opposed to May). Goten is now eight.

* * *

Kokuhaku: Epilogue

* * *

"We are the ones who lost our faith   
We dug ourselves an early grave  
We are the _dead_  
Can we be saved?"  
--"All That's Left," Thrice 

The young halfbreed was sitting on a lake's shore. It was tucked between two mountains several miles from home. The clear, untouched waters glittered under the noon-day sun as fish threw the occasional wild ripple across its surface.

The child didn't really notice this. His right hand wrapped around another smooth stone; he let fly.

He was remembering.

"_We can take you home."_

"_That'd be nice… If I could remember what it was like."_

The stone ripped through the mirrored surface, sending up a dancing clear spray with each tap against the water. It skipped to the other side of the lake.

He picked up another and lobbed it absent-mindedly.

"_Maybe I'll see you… if I don't… then it wasn't meant to be."_

This one hit a tree on the other side, setting up a fine spray of water along its course.

"_You'd… cry for me? It's a waste."_

He picked up another stone, considered it, set it down again. The eight-year-old stared at the far shore.

_Why can't I stop thinking about it?_

It befuddled his young mind. For a _year _now it had been bothering him. That tiny, less than five-minute conversation with his brother had stuck to him like nothing had stuck to him before. It followed him everywhere he went, and he couldn't understand _why. _

He had the notion that it still bothered his dad, too. But Goten suspected it wasn't the same at all. His father was sad... He himself was _driven._ As if some unseen force was dragging him towards the subject, reawakening the same memory over and over again. His brother's eyes, exhausted but kind, as he lay on the beach... The blood flowing into the sand...

After a moment of examining the rough skin of one of the rocks he chucked it, aiming too low; it cut through the water's surface and disappeared into the emerald-tinged water with a loud _sploosh_. It barely rippled the water, simply cutting through.

_Dad said we're supposed to protect good people from bad things, 'cause we're as strong as we are…_He shuddered, remembering all the blood his brother had spilled on that beach. And that dead look in his eyes later, when that toad had wormed its way into him...

_So why did we let that happen to Gohan?_

And that was it, he realized. That was what was bothering him. He knew he was good at judging people; he could tell the bad from the good, just like he could read a person's energy. He could just _feel_ it. And his brother had not been a bad person. He hadn't been sure at first – not when that toad had been in him – but in that moment of clarity, there on the beach, he had been able to tell for sure. His brother was a good person. A _very _good person.

_Brother fought that wizard and lost, _he thought astutely. _So shouldn't Father and Vegeta and Trunks and I help him?_

…_We dunno where he is, but we could find him. And we may have lost last time, but if we trained enough…_

He grinned excitedly. _We could save Brother! 'Cause that's what we're supposed to do, being Saiyans and all. _

Heart beating fast, he leapt to his feet, looking back towards the mountains. _All of us together could do it. _

"And besides," he admitted to the grass and trees around him, "I liked Brother. He's even better than Dad's stories." To a ladybug flitting by, he said, "I could sense it, y'know. He's dead now, but I can bring him back. I can find a way."

He knelt and picked the smoothest, prettiest stone he could find. It was a pale shade of purple, and round and smooth as could be.

"I'm gonna bring Gohan back," he vowed over the rock. "If it's the last thing I do," the child added, using a phrase he had heard Trunks use once.

With this said he hurled the rock as fast and as hard as he could. It disappeared into the forest within the blink of an eye.

There, standing on the shore, a cold March breeze tugging at his stiff hair, the child realized this to be his quest. His father had had one. And now he had his.

…_If it's the last thing I do.

* * *

_

_**finis

* * *

**_

There it is, folks. Finally!

But not entirely!

The first part - the fall of a hero - is complete. But the second part is just beginning. Goten has a destiny to fulfill... As do the rest of the Sons. I look forward to seeing you all in Part Two! It shall be posted soon, I swears it. I think I'm done with my six-month long sojourns for the moment... It's painful, not writing for so long.

By the way, there's a manga-ish-thing on my DeviantArt account now about Kokuhaku (the climax, to be more specific). So please feel free to head that way and check it out. The link to my account is on my author's page. If all else fails, look either on my Livejournal... or search for "Skadu" on DeviantArt.

Thankee-sai for bearing with me all this way! I am eternally greatful! It's been an amazing journey so far.


End file.
